Turnabout Mystery
by Sailor Moonie Fan
Summary: Post-DD; Miles Edgeworth is working hard at the Prosecutor's Office. About half a year after the phantom was finally caught, a local doctor, Serena Sterling, comes to the Wright Anything Agency, seeking Phoenix's defense in a murder case. After this case... (Summary continued in Ch. 1!). Pairings: Phoenix x Iris (Feenris), Apollo x Juniper, and Simon x Athena (Cykesquill).
1. Summary

_Miles Edgeworth is working hard at the Prosecutor's Office. About half a year after the phantom was finally caught, a local doctor, Serena Sterling, comes to the Wright Anything Agency, seeking Phoenix's defense in a murder case. After this case, Serena becomes good friends with Phoenix, Apollo, Athena, and Trucy. It isn't much longer after that when Edgeworth meets her for himself. Upon their meeting, multiple cases spring up, and they all seem to have some kind of connection, even if it's a very faint one, with this woman. Who is she? And why does it seem that when she's nearby, trouble is always right around the corner?_

**AN: So this is my first time writing an Ace Attorney fanfiction. The events in the story take place after Dual Destinies.**

**I hate to say this, but I haven't actually **_**played **_**the games (save for playing the first case and half of the second with my cousin); however, I've seen many, many, **_**many**_** video walkthroughs and have read extensively about it. It's a remarkable series. I fell in love with it when I was first introduced to it a few months ago, and over the course of those few months, I had this idea for a story that I thought I should. Now, I've only written Sailor Moon fanfictions up until this point, and for a while, I considered doing a crossover, but for some reason, the idea didn't settle with me too well, this is strictly Ace Attorney. **

**There are going to be a few more Ace Attorney characters appearing in this fanfiction, although I haven't decided which ones I definitely want to include. Also, this fan fiction is primarily focusing on Miles Edgeworth (he is probably my most favorite character in the series, besides Trucy!). **

**However, I must say that for the character, Serena Sterling, I originally based her off Serena/Usagi Tsukino, from Sailor Moon; however, their personalities are pretty much opposites. For those of you who've read my other few SM fanfics, you probably already know that I refer to Serena/Usagi as Serena Sterling. This being said, for this story, I'm declaring Serena Sterling to be my original character, especially because there is no "Sailor Moon" related things associated with her. It just so happens that I once imagined this character, and I wanted to name her Serena, after one of my favorite anime characters. So please do not think I'm taking credit for Naoko Takeuchi's character, Usagi/Serena Tsukino. Later on, I thought of this idea that maybe Usagi/Serena could have this other, hidden, **_**real **_**side of her that she didn't show to anyone, and that's why I call her Serena Sterling. Usagi/Serena Tsukino and Serena Sterling are essentially two different people in this regards to this fanfic, and Usagi/Serena Tsukino don't even exist in this story. (In one of my other fanfics, Serena Sterling is the real identity of Serena/Usagi Tsukino). I just wanted to clarify that **_**Serena Sterling **_**is my original character, and in this fanfiction, she has no relation to anything in the Sailor Moon series. I got the inspiration to create **_**Serena Sterling**_** from Usagi/Serena Tsukino. I don't want anyone to think I'm claiming Usagi/Serena Tsukino as my own character, because she isn't and I'm not; however, I do claim **_**Serena Sterling **_**as my own character. Thanks!**

**Please do follow! I'll try to get the official first chapter up soon!**


	2. Ch 1: Turnabout Party

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 1 - Turnabout Party

_Hmph. I could be sitting in my office looking over case files with this time I'm wasting here._ Miles Edgeworth stood at the side of Viola Hall inside the Gatewater Imperial Hotel. His eyes wandering aimlessly around. _Sometimes being Chief Prosecutor can be quite annoying._ After all, it was because his prestigious position that he was obligated to attend this occasion.

A man came up to him. He was a wearing a white tuxedo and matching white pants. A blue tie was around his neck. "Ah! Mr. Edgeworth! I'm glad you were able to make it. I was worried you might not come."

Edgeworth bowed. "I'm honored by the invitation, Mr. Reece. Thank you very much." _It isn't like I had much of a choice anyway._

"David!" A shrill voice called out. The two men turned their gaze to a woman wearing a red spaghetti strapped dress that fit her a little too well, red stiletto heels, and a big white boa around her neck. She latched herself onto Mr. Reece. "Honey! I was looking all over for you."

_This woman…what is she wearing?_ She suddenly turned to look at Edgeworth, and the gust of wind she created carried the scent of her perfume to his nose. _Oh! What a strong, offensive smell. It seems she poured a whole bottle of perfume on herself!_

"And who's this?" She asked, eyeing Edgeworth.

"This is Miles Edgeworth. He's the Chief Prosecutor, and an acquaintance of mine."

"Hello, Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth. I am Lady Lucretia Reece. Thank you for coming to the party!"

"Thank you for having me here." Edgeworth bowed again. "And please, just call me Edgeworth. No need for the Chief Prosecutor."

"Alright. Honey! I have someone I want you to meet! Let's go!" She dragged the man away from Edgeworth, and as she did, Mr. Reece turned and waved at Edgeworth.

"Enjoy the party!"

Edgeworth nodded. _That should be easy. _He sighed. Again, he looked around at all of the people. Everyone seemed to be dressed quite formally. Of course, he was wearing his usual burgundy outfit with his white cravat tied around his neck. The other partygoers conversing with each other. _Business parties...what an awful waste. No one seems to be having any kind of intellectual conversation. They aren't even talking about business matters. _

Indeed they weren't. Many of the people were talking about their own personal lives. How many houses they had, how many cars they drove, what their kids were doing, and gossiping. What Edgeworth found ironic was that most of these people were older than himself, in their forties, fifties, and even older than that.

_There doesn't seem to be a single person who's younger than myself. _Just then, his eyes fell on someone. A young woman was standing all by herself on the other side of the room. _She seems a bit out of place. _She had a royal blue sweater on, and khaki pants. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest, and in one of them was a white coat. _She seems awfully familiar. _

He found himself approaching the young woman. She was tugging at a strand of her jet black hair, which went right down to just a little past her shoulders. She seemed quite consumed in her own thoughts that she initially didn't notice him coming towards her; however, she eventually did. She was now looking at him, a questioning look on her face.

"Excuse me?"

"Hello."

Just when Edgeworth was about to speak, Mrs. Reece interrupted. "Serena, darling! I'm so glad you could make it! I feared you wouldn't be able to come!"

Serena just smiled. "I'm sorry I'm late. I got a little caught up at work."

"That's fine! Oh wait! Let me introduce the two of you! Serena, this is Miles Edgeworth. And Miles Edgeworth, this is Serena Sterling."

_That name. I've heard that name before somewhere. _"Hello. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Sterling."

She had a polite smile on her face. "It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Edgeworth."

"Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth here is…well, the chief prosecutor."

"Yes, I remember hearing about you, Mr. Edgeworth."

"And Serena here is an ER doctor. She's head of the ER department at the local hospital, and she's also-."

Serena seemed to be very embarrassed. "Please, Mrs. Reece. Don't say all of that." Serena looked at Mr. Edgeworth. "I'm just a regular doctor. That's all."

_This young woman's a doctor? Why, she can't be any older than 25 years old! How is that even possible?!_

"Well. How about you chat together? I need to go check up on my other guests. Get it, Serena? Check up?" Mrs. Reece laughed. As she walked away, they could hear her say, "I come up with the best jokes."

_What a garrulous woman. _Edgeworth's attention went to the young woman. "So you're…a doctor?" He asked skeptically.

"Yes. And you're a prosecutor."

"Right. I couldn't help but notice that you seemed familiar. Have we met before?"

"I don't believe so. I usually don't attend many parties."

"I don't either. Hm. Somehow, I feel like I know you from somewhere."

She thought for a moment. "You…wouldn't happen to be friends with Phoenix Wright, would you?"

"I actually am. Why do you ask?" _Wright knows this girl?_

"Well, he was my defense attorney when I got involved in a murder case about half a year ago."

_Oh, that's right. I recall that case now. I was so busy with taking care of the phantom that I let Mr. Gavin handle the investigation and the case file. _"Yes, I do recall now reading about that case very briefly."

"Yes. Mr. Wright had told me he was friends with the Chief Prosecutor, in case something went wrong."

_Wright! Does he really think I'd abuse the power I've been delegated with my position to help him out like that?!_

"Of course, I told him that I didn't want him to have to go to that extreme. That would be wrong to ask you to do something like that, and for a complete stranger, no less."

_Hm. At least this girl is sensible. Much more sensible than Wright. But can she really be a doctor?_

"I see. So what brings you to this party, Ms. Sterling?"

"I was invited by Mrs. Reece. Due to my position at the hospital, I had to attend. Mr. and Mrs. Reece are major benefactors for the hospital, and they're kind of enough not ask for much in return. Each department head attends a party, some more than others. Today was my turn. I…admit I tried to refuse, but I couldn't. How about you, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"My position also forced me to attend the party. Mr. Reece has been very helpful for the Prosecutor's office, and I had to show my gratitude by coming to this party. However, I'm not one for parties, particularly business parties."

"Me too."

Silence overcame them. They stood there awkwardly. _She doesn't seem like one who talks too much. _Edgeworth noticed that the young woman was fidgeting a little, again, tugging at her hair.

_She seems a bit too young to be an ER doctor. Something's off here._

"Oh!" Edgeworth looked at her, and saw the look of surprise on her face. She looked away, tugging at her hair once more. "About that…"

_Oh no! Did I actually say that out loud?! Perhaps I mumbled it, and she heard. What happened to my sense of inner monologue?! Wright must be rubbing off on me._

Just then, before she could explain, Serena's phone made a little beep noise. Excusing herself, she was looked at her phone when Mrs. Reece came over with Mr. Reece. "Here's Serena."

"Hello Ms. Sterling. Is something the matter?"

"Hello Mr. Reece. I'm so sorry, but I just got a message from the ER. They need me to cover for another doctor tonight and work the nightshift there as soon as possible, so I'll have to leave now."

"Oh no! I was going to introduce you to all of the other nice men here!"

_Mrs. Reece seems very disappointed, although, I can't say the same about this young lady here. _

Serena's eyes widened a little, but she smiled apologetically. "Um…no, thank you, Mrs. Reece. That isn't necessary. I'm really am sorry I can't stay, though. Please do forgive me!"

"Oh, it's fine. Duty calls, right? I hope you'll be able to attend another party soon! Toodles darling!" The woman and her husband left.

"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Edgeworth. Goodbye."

"The same to you, young lady. Farewell."

Serena gave him an odd look before nodding. She went through the doors and left.

_Well, if I wasn't the youngest one here before, I'm positive I am now. _Edgeworth resisted the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes. _This is going to be a long night._

**So here's the first chapter of this story! I hope you liked it! Please do let me know what you thought of it by reviewing or leaving me a private message!**


	3. Ch 2: Turnabout Apology

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 2 - Turnabout Apology

A week after the party, Edgeworth was working in his office when he heard a knock on the door. Without taking his eyes off his newspaper, he called out, "Come in." Immediately, the door opened to reveal a small group of people entering his office.

"Hello Mr. Edgeworth!" Athena Cykes and Trucy Wright announced.

_Oh dear. What are they doing here?_ He glanced up and saw that along with the two young ladies were Apollo Justice and Phoenix Wright. Phoenix made himself comfortable on the red leather sofa.

"How's it going, Edgeworth?"

"Wright. Don't be rude. Please, Ms. Cykes, Trucy. Have a seat on the sofa, and feel free to push Wright off of it."

Phoenix got up before the two girls really _did_ push him off. "Merci, Mr. Edgeworth," Athena said as she sat down on said sofa with Trucy.

"So. Are you busy right now, Mr. Edgeworth?" Apollo asked as he sat leaned against the door.

"When is Edgeworth ever _not _busy?" Phoenix countered as he stood next to Apollo.

Edgeworth smirked. "At least I have work to do. Unlike a certain person I know."

"Oh…Boss, he got you good," Athena commented.

Phoenix rolled his eyes, but then Edgeworth saw a mischievous smile come up on his face. _That smile…why is it that I feel rather worried all of a sudden?_

"Actually, I heard you had a good time at a party last week, Edgeworth." Phoenix taunted.

His eyes widened. "What are you taking about, Wright?"

"Oh yeah. I remember. You went to some big wig party, didn't you Mr. Edgeworth?" Apollo asked.

"Mr. Edgeworth! You went to a _party?!_" Trucy exclaimed. "Then you have no excuses for not being able to come to one of my magic shows!"

_Look what he's started! _"Wright! How did you find out about this?" Edgeworth demanded, glaring at the defense attorney.

"Whoa, whoa. Hold the glare! Detective Gumshoe told me."

_Gumshoe…I should've known better than to tell him about that party. _"Well, I happened to meet an acquaintance of yours at this party, Wright."

"You did? Who did you meet?"

"A young woman…she was a doctor. I can't seem to recall her name, though."

"You mean Ms. Serena?!" Trucy asked excitedly.

"Ah yes! Ms. Sterling. She said you defended her six months ago, Wright."

"Yes, I did. She's a good friend. She sometimes comes to the agency to visit us."

"Serena. She hasn't been around to visit lately, now that I think about it." Athena tapped her earring as she spoke.

"Well, she's probably busy I imagine. She is head of the emergency department at the hospital."

"Wright. That young woman…how could she be a doctor at such a young age? I've rarely heard of a 25 year old doctor!"

"What's wrong with…wait." Phoenix looked at him. "Did you say 25 years old?"

"Weren't you listening, Wright? Yes, that's what I said."

The group from the Wright Anything Agency exchanged glances before they burst into laughter.

_Have they all gone mad?! What are they laughing about?!_

"What's so funny?" Edgeworth demanded.

"You, Edgeworth!" Phoenix spoke between fits of laughter.

Edgeworth was indignant. "How am I funny?!" _I certainly don't find your laughing at me very amusing. _

"Mr. Edgeworth!" Athena began, trying to control her laughter. "Serena isn't 25 years old."

Edgeworth couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Then how old is she? 23?" He asked sarcastically.

"Try adding 10 years to that value," Apollo suggested.

"33. Wait. She's 33 years old?!" _Why, she's only a year younger than myself! _

Trucy nodded.

_Well…I did not see that coming. _

"Looks can be quite deceiving, Edgeworth," Phoenix lectured.

_Hm. I don't need you of all people to tell me that._

"Hmph. Well, I'm quite shocked. I was quite skeptical when I heard that she was a doctor." Edgeworth then changed subjects. "Anyway, what brings you here today?"

"Oh. We were in the neighborhood and decided to stop by," Phoenix explained.

Edgeworth looked at him for a moment. "Right. So what's the _real _reason you're here?"

"I was being serious, Edgeworth. We were walking by the building when Trucy here suggested that we visit you."

Trucy nodded. "I thought maybe you'd like some company!"

_Well, although they have been a little disruptive, I shouldn't say anything rude. She did have good intentions in mind. _"Well, I appreciate the visit, Trucy."

Trucy smiled brightly.

Apollo sighed and stood up straight. "I'll have to be leaving soon."

"Oh, that's right! You've got a date with Junie, don't you?" Athena asked, a sly smile on her face.

Apollo blushed. "It isn't a date. We're just hanging out with Robin, Hugh and Myriam."

"Alright, Apollo. Whatever you say."

"You're one to talk, Athena! Don't think I didn't see you sneak a peek at Prosecutor Blackquill's office."

Now it was Athena's turn to blush. "No you didn't. But now that you mention it, I should go pay him a visit while I'm here." She stood up and walked over to where Apollo stood.

"Of course. You were lying, anyway."

"Oh yeah?! Then prove it! Show me some evidence to support your claim!" Athena yelled. The two continued to argue as they walked out the door.

"Those two," Phoenix shook his head. He then turned to Trucy. "Trucy. We better head out too. Didn't you want to go to the store to get something?"

"Yes! I need more props for my magic tricks!" She stood up and sped out the door.

"Well Edgeworth. I guess I'll see you…" Phoenix was cut off when Trucy ran back in and grabbed him by the sleeve, dragging him behind her.

"Come on Daddy! Oh, and bye Mr. Edgeworth!" They both disappeared in a flash out the door.

Edgeworth shook his head. _Hmph. I guess I'll have to read the paper later. _He pulled out a case file. Detective Gumshoe had informed him that a murder had occurred late last night, and a suspect had been arrested and was awaiting trial.

Edgeworth looked through the papers. _That's odd. There are no medical records on this person. _He sighed. _Gumshoe…of course he would've forgotten to get them. Looks like I'll have to get them myself._

* * *

Edgeworth had spoken to the police department, who said he was to contact one Dr. Sterling about the medical record, and in order to speak with her, he had to go to the health clinic where she worked.

Edgeworth walked into the main lobby of the health clinic. He was able to locate the ER, and he spoke with one of the people at the registration window.

"I'm here to speak with Dr. Sterling?"

"Ah yes! She said she was expecting a visit from someone. You're a prosecutor, correct?"

"Yes. My name is Miles Edgeworth."

"May I just see an ID please? It's for safety purposes."

Edgeworth presented his driver's license and was allowed entry. He walked through the open door, only to see Serena standing right nearby. Her head was bent down looking at a chart. She began walking towards him and looked up. Before he knew what was going on and before he could stop walking, he saw her slip and she fell right on top of him.

_Ow. _Edgeworth landed hard on his back, with the doctor right on top of him.

Serena immediately scrambled up on her feet and covered her mouth, eyes wide and looking terrified. "Oh my goodness! Mr. Edgeworth! Are you alright?" Edgeworth sat himself up. "Here. Let me give you a hand." Serena helped him up. "I'm so sorry! I can't believe I just did that! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you feel dizzy? Are you nauseous?!"

_Well, save for the shock I received upon falling, no. And I just fell. I'm not going to die._

"I'm fine, Ms. Sterling." He brushed himself off and fixed his clothes.

"I'm so sorry!" Serena looked at the floor. "I must've slipped on that puddle of water," Serena pointed to the floor, where one could barely make out a small puddle of water.

_Oh. I guess I can't blame her for that, then._

"I had called to get someone to clean that puddle up, Serena," the secretary explained. "I thought someone had done so already. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you."

"It's alright. I'll just get it cleaned up myself." Serena rushed into one of the rooms and came back out with a towel and began wiping the floor. "There. Much better. We can't have safety hazards like these around." She discarded the towel and addressed Edgeworth.

"Mr. Edgeworth. You came here to see me about some medical records, correct?"

Edgeworth nodded. "That's correct."

"Okay then. How about we go down to my office? Please. Follow me."

* * *

_I never knew someone could walk so fast!_ Edgeworth had to work hard to catch up to the pace that Serena was walking. Her white coat flared behind her like a cape as she flew down the hall. _Then again, she is a doctor. Being able to move fast would be a helpful skill to have._

"I'm haven't come at an inconvenient time, have I?"

"Oh no! We only have a couple of patients here on the floor, so we're not too busy at the moment. You actually came at a good time." They turned a corner. "So the police department contacted the medical records staff about the file, and medical records called me, although I'm not sure why."

They stopped when they'd finally reached a door that had a nameplate which read, Serena Sterling.

Serena fished her pocket for her keys and unlocked the door. Flipping the light switch on, she held the door open for Edgeworth. "Please have a seat."

She followed behind him and sat behind her desk, while Edgeworth sat in a nice leather chair opposite of her. He looked around the office.

_Not bad. It seems to be pretty organized. Not much decoration though._ There was a bookcase that covered one whole wall of the decent-sized room. There was a file cabinet near the door, a sofa opposite the bookcase, and of course, her desk. The desk had a cup filled with pens and pencils on it, along with a pad of post-it notes, a desk lamp, and a couple of files on it.

He brought his attention to the doctor sitting across from him who was looking through some manila folders. _ She's wearing glasses. I don't recall seeing her wearing glasses at the party._

"They had the file ready for you down at the medical records department."

"So will I have to go there?" _Wonderful. It's probably quite a walk from here._

"No. Actually, I had some spare time on my hands, so I ran down and picked up the file myself." She handed him the file she was briefly looking at. "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. I appreciate it, actually. That would save me a lot of time."

"Good. So this person was murdered?"

"That's what everyone's claiming; however, the victim's medical history is in question, and we're awaiting blood test results along with the autopsy report." Edgeworth read through the files.

"Of course. So…Is there anything else I can help you with?" Edgeworth looked up at her. _She must be in a rush. _

"No. I don't think so." He continued reading through the file. "Hm…that's odd."

"What's odd, if you don't mind my asking?"

"It says here that the victim was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy." _What is that?! I haven't heard of this before. _

"Would you like me to explain what it is for you?"

"Why would I want that?" He quipped, sounding a little irritated.

"Well, you looked a little confused, that's all."

_Ngh…I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask. _

"I suppose an explanation…would be rather helpful, yes."

Serena smirked. "Right. It's a heart muscle disease, hence why it's called cardiomyopathy. With this particular kind of cardiomyopathy, the left ventricle of the heart becomes dilated to the point that it can't properly and efficiently pump blood to the body. The heart muscle has a hard time contracting too."

"I see." _I guess it would've been rather difficult for me to figure that out on my own._

"It can cause irregular heartbeats, blood clots, or even sudden death."

"Sudden death?" _That's interesting._

She nodded. "That's right."

"Thank you, Ms. Sterling. This information will hopefully prove to be useful in the investigation." _Perhaps she could be summoned as a medical expert to speak at the trial…Hm. I should ask her for her contact information, in that case._

"Glad to know I could help." He watched her scribble something onto a post-it paper and handed it to him. "This number on the top is for the phone I have here in my office. If I don't pick that up, then you can call the ER and ask for me. And if I'm not at work, you can call me on my cellphone, which is the other number. Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything else."

"Thank you." _It's almost like she's read my mind. _

"Is that all?"

"Yes." Edgeworth was about to get up when he remembered something. "Actually, there was one more thing." He was face-to-face with a file. _She's already reading another file! I haven't even left!_

"Yes? What is it?" She lowered the paper to see him.

"I just wanted to apologize for my rude outburst at the party."

"Rude…outburst? I'm sorry. I don't know what you're talking about."

"At the party last week. I…questioned your age and your profession. It was very rude of me, and I apologize for that."

"Oh, that's fine. It's not a big deal. It…happens a lot, so I'm used to it."

"That must get annoying, I assume."

"Quite honestly, it gets really annoying." She shrugged. "But I try not to let it bother me too much."

_Somehow I find that a slight bit hard to believe. _

"Anyway, thank you again. It was nice to see you."

"You too, Mr. Edgeworth. Goodbye, and good luck with your investigation."

**Yeah…there wasn't too much in this chapter. I do have the next chapter done though. It'll be focusing more on the other characters. I'm still figuring out how the story format is going to be, so please do bear with me. Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a review or private message me!**


	4. Ch 3: Turnabout Date

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 3 - Turnabout Date

Athena was standing in front of an office door. On it read the name, Simon Blackquill. 'I can't believe Apollo saw me looking over here! Not to mention the fact that Widget just had to open her mouth and say, 'She _was _looking at Simon's office, and she _really_ wants to go see him.'

"Thanks a lot for ratting me out, Widget," she muttered. She then lifted her hand and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" A voice asked from within.

"It's me! Athena!"

"Oh. I guess you can come in."

Athena opened the door. "What's that supposed to mean?!" She yelled at him. Then she noticed what he had in his hand. "And what exactly are you doing?"

Simon Blackquill was wielding a sword in his hand. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"It looks like you're planning to kill someone."

"Hmph. That's quite amusing. I'm in pain from the laughter your jest has inflicted on me." He swung his sword around a few times.

Athena rolled her eyes and made her way to one of the chairs and sat down. She looked around his office. Unlike Mr. Edgeworth's office, which was quite embellished and very bright, Simon's was much more simple, and smaller. He had a bookcase on the side of the room, similar to Mr. Edgeworth's office, but his walls were white. He had a glass case on the wall filled with different types and sizes of swords. There was a black wooden desk in the middle, with a white chair in front of it, as well as one behind it. The desk had files on it, as well as a lamp and a couple of pens and pencils.

"Anyway, I'm assuming you aren't busy with a case right now, huh?"

"Nope. The trial for the last case I was working on ended yesterday." He swiped his sword. "And I assume that you haven't had a case in this past month."

Athena frowned. "That's none of your business." Her eyes landed on the perch next to his desk. "Where's Taka?"

"Oh, he's outside for the moment. I wanted to let him get some fresh air."

"I think _you're _the one who needs to get some fresh air." She stood up. "How about we go take a walk outside?"

"Hmph. Can't you see that I'm busy practicing? I need to brush up on my sword-skills."

"I think you should be brushing up on your court skills. Or need I remind you about that case two months ago?"

Simon put down his sword and scowled at Athena. "Haven't you had enough poking fun at me about that case? You don't need to brag about you're defeating me every time you see me."

"Of course I don't need to. I just really enjoy it!"

Simon just ignored her and walked to his desk. He picked up a cloth and began wiping the blade. "So enough jabbering. What is the purpose of your trip here, Cykes-dono?"

Athena groaned. "You know. Would it kill you to call me Athena? You've done it so many times before!"

"Yes, but you don't get mad at me for calling you Athena. And don't try to avoid my question."

"Well, Mr. Wright, Apollo and Trucy came here to see Mr. Edgeworth, and I tagged along too. I haven't seen him in a while."

"Oh. That's all?" He opened one of his glass display cases and carefully put the sword inside.

"Yup. That's all."

"Nope. The main reason she came was because she wanted to see you!"

Simon turned his head to look at her, an eyebrow arched up. "Shut up Widget!" Athena muttered. She looked up at him and smiled sheepishly, waving her hand. "Don't listen to Widget. I think she's malfunctioning."

"I do _not _malfunction! I am a highly sophisticated piece of technology that…"

"Yeah, yeah! You're perfect, I get it."

"Widget can't malfunction, Cykes-dono. After all, Dr. Cykes was the one who made it."

"Hm. Well, still. You're done practicing, aren't you? So why not go outside? I think the fresh air really would do you good."

"Now that I'm free from my shackles, I can enjoy the fresh air whenever I please." Athena smiled softly and watched as Simon opened his window. The wind blew on him, rustling his hair a little. He had his eyes closed, and there was a hint of a smile on his face.

'He looks so at peace'

"Right here in my office."

Her shoulders slumped, and she grimaced. "What is it going to take to get you out of here?! Do you want to become like Mr. Edgeworth, never leaving your office, practically living in it?!"

"Chief Prosecutor _does _leave his office, and I don't live in my office either." He sat down at his desk. "Did you say that Justice-dono came here with you? Where is he?"

Athena was caught off guard by his sudden change in subject. "Oh, him? He's on a date with Junie, or…as he likes to put it, he's 'just hanging out with Robin, Hugh and Myriam,'" she explained using air quotes.

"I see. I wonder what they're doing on this outing right now."

"I wonder too," Athena mused, her head tilted and her left hand tapping her earring.

"Maybe you should go right now and see for yourself." Simon leaned back in his chair.

Athena smiled. "You know what? I think I will!" She left his office and closed the door behind her. As she walked towards the elevator, a thought struck her. "Darn it! He did that on purpose! I can't believe I didn't see him using his powers of suggestion. I can just imagine him in his office right now, smirking at me." She shook her head, but then grinned. "But hey! It isn't such a bad idea to go and see how Apollo's doing on his date!" She smacked her fist in her palm. "Let's do this!" She rushed off to the elevator.

* * *

_Meanwhile, at People Park…_

'Juniper said she'd be here at 2, but it's 2:15. I hope she's alright.'

"Apollo!" He turned around and saw Juniper. She ran up to him. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was getting some fruit for you."

"Fruit?"

Juniper nodded. She reached into a white bag and pulled out a paper bag. "They're apples, from my garden. My grandma says that apples are a symbol of kindness." She handed the bag to him.

"Thanks, Juniper! I'll eat one right now!" He pulled one out and chomped into it. "Mm…this is so good! And you know what they say? An apple a day keeps the doctor away! And from the looks of this bag, it looks like I'll be keeping the doctor away for quite a while."

Juniper giggled, and Apollo grinned. He then searched around. "So where are Hugh, Robin and Myriam?"

"Oh. They all had something that came up all of sudden, which is really odd."

"Hm…that is odd."

"You don't mind if…if it's just the two of us, do you Apollo?"

"Me? Mind?" Apollo laughed, placing his hand behind his head. "No. Not at all!"

Juniper blushed. "Okay." They started walking through the park.

'What should I say? Can we really just walk around without saying a word?' He shot a sideways glance at Juniper, who was right next to him. 'Actually, maybe it isn't so bad to not be talking. It provides a good chance for enjoying things.'

Juniper turned her head to Apollo, who suddenly shifted his gaze. Juniper's head tilted to the side, but she smiled.

Apollo felt something on his head. Looking down, he saw that it was a hand. He followed the arm attached to the hand and ended up seeing Juniper's face. Her cheeks were slightly pink. Apollo returned the smile and squeezed her hand a little.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes, I am Juniper," Apollo said dreamily.

"Apollo…I didn't say anything."

"Huh?" Apollo was confused.

"Th…Thena!"

"Ah!" Apollo jumped when he saw his junior partner standing in their path. "Athena! What are you doing here?!"

"Oh me? I was just strolling through the park and just happened to see you two here!"

'Right…of course you just _happened _to see us, and you weren't looking for us.'

"Thena! It's so nice to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Junie! We seriously haven't had time to catch up with each other."

"So how exactly _did _you know we would be here at the park?" Apollo questioned.

"I ran into Hugh, Robin and Myriam when I was trying to find you guys, and they told me you were meeting up here at People Park."

"I see."

Athena locked arms with Juniper. "Now let's catch up, Junie!" The two girls began chatting as the three of them continued their walk.

'Well…there goes my date.' Apollo sighed and crossed his arms as he listened to the two friends. 'But at least Juniper's happy, so I shouldn't be so upset.'

As Athena spoke with Junie, she could sense Apollo's annoyance at her. 'Sorry, Apollo! But I can't let you off easy like that after you proved me wrong!' However, she soon recognized that Apollo had become happy. 'Why is he happy? I completely ruined his date! Oh well. I guess I'll have to ask him later.'

* * *

"So Daddy. Have you got any new cases right now?"

"None whatsoever, Trucy." Phoenix and Trucy were at the office, eating some of Eldoon's noodles.

"Don't worry Daddy! I'm sure something should come up soon! Plus, that means that until you get another case, you have loads of time!"

"Loads of time? For what?"

Trucy giggled. "To find me a new mommy of course!" She then shook her finger as though she were reprimanding him. "You aren't getting any younger, Daddy!"

'Here she goes again. She won't ever let this Mommy thing drop, will she?'

"You and Maya obviously made it well-known to Pearl and me that you two aren't an item, so our search must continue!"

"Trucy." Phoenix sighed, putting down his bowl of noodles on the table. His face became quite solemn. "Are you not happy?"

"Happy?" Trucy thought for a moment, confusion clear on her face; however, it soon morphed into shock. "Oh no! Of course I'm happy, Daddy! Please don't think I'm sad or anything, because I'm not. Really! It's just…you've made me so happy for all this time, but…but I would be even happier…if you're happy."

Phoenix smiled. 'Oh Trucy.' "Trucy. I'm already as happy as I can be! I have you after all, don't I? I remember when I lost my attorney's badge…I felt…lost…and like I was in the darkness." Phoenix was frowning up until this point, but he grinned. "Then you came into my life, Trucy. You became my light, always brightening up my day."

"Oh Daddy. I love you!"

"I love you too, Trucy!" They hugged. As they pulled away, they heard the door to the office open and two voices arguing.

"You completely ruined our date!"

"Aha! So you _admit _it was a date!"

"N…no. No! That's not what I…ugh! The point is that you completely barged in on us!"

Phoenix and Trucy saw Athena and Apollo enter the room, with Athena shutting the door behind them.

"What's wrong, Polly?"

"I was trying to spend some time with Juniper when guess who had to come to see us? Athena _and _Prosecutor Gavin."

"You saw Mr. Gavin?! How is he?! I haven't seen him in a while now!"

Apollo rolled his eyes. "That's not the point, Trucy! The point is that they interrupted Juniper and me!"

"Hey! I may have…possibly decided to have tagged along on your date, but I did _not _bring Prosecutor Gavin along! It was pure coincidence that he just happened to be there at the park!"

"Hey you two! Stop arguing!" Athena and Apollo stopped and stared at Phoenix. "Apollo, you shouldn't blame Athena for Prosecutor Gavin appearing and interrupting your date, and Athena. You shouldn't have interrupted his date in the first place."

"That's right! Hey!" Apollo pointed an accusing finger at Phoenix. "For the last time, it was _not _a date!"

"Alright, fine Polly! It wasn't a date. Now will you two just apologize and hug it out?" Trucy requested.

"I'm sorry Apollo."

"And I'm sorry Athena."

They hugged reluctantly. "Aw! See? We can all get along! Now!" Trucy clapped her hands. "Since we're all so conveniently here at the office with nothing much to do, this would be the perfect time!"

'Great. So she _didn't _drop the Mommy thing after all.'

"Perfect time for what?" Apollo asked.

"To practice some of my magic tricks, of course!"

Phoenix, Apollo and Athena could only groan while Trucy laughed.

**I personally enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope you guys liked it too! I'm sorry it took me so long to update. Unfortunately for me, I know what's going to happen later on in the story; however, I'm having major problems coming up with the beginning stuff. This happens all the time! Anyway, feel free to leave a review or private message me! **


	5. Ch 4: Turnabout Ladder…or Stepladder?

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 4 - Turnabout Ladder…or Stepladder?

Another week has gone by, and now it is Friday night. The Wright Anything Agency gang are at the Wonder Bar, waiting for the youngest member of the group to begin her performance.

Athena searched the crowd. "I wonder where she is? She said she'd be here."

"Yeah, you're right. I wonder too. I hope she isn't too busy to make it," Apollo replied. "By the way, Athena. Where's Prosecutor Blackquill?"

"Oh Simon? What about him?"

"Didn't you say you were going to bring him to the next magic show?"

"I…don't recall saying such a thing." Athena turned away, hoping Apollo wouldn't sense her lying.

"So you don't remember how you screamed at me saying, and I quote, 'You just watch Apollo! Next time Trucy has a magic show, I'll drag Simon all the way to the Wonder Bar so he can see it, whether he wants to or not!'"

Athena glowered. "As much I'd like to deny ever having said something like that, I did happen to ask Simon if he'd like to come along, but he has a case he's working on, and of course, he's now super-focused on the investigation."

"Hm. Well, that's too bad." Apollo looked over to the table next to them. "Especially because even Mr. Edgeworth is here."

Phoenix chuckled. "Well, given how we discovered that Edgeworth had gone to that party, he didn't have much of a choice in coming here."

Apollo now laughed. "True. I bet Trucy pulled the guilt card on him."

"Oh yes she did. She was quite good actually." Phoenix then repeated what Trucy had told Edgeworth. "'Mr. Edgeworth. You could go to a party, which is something you don't like going to, but you can't come to see the magic show of a cute, little girl who happens to be your best friend's daughter? I see, Mr. Edgeworth. I can see it all clearly now. You…you don't like me, do you?!'"

Edgeworth heard Phoenix relay what young Trucy had told him. It was just yesterday that they came to his office and the youngest Wright handed him an invitation to her magic show.

_Well, she did have a point. It would've been extremely rude of me to decline her invitation, especially since she was kind enough to come up to my office and hand-deliver it to me. _

He then heard Phoenix's recount. "You should've seen his face. He looked so mortified. He quickly agreed to come to the show."

_The girl had tears in her eyes! What kind of gentleman would I be if I made such a young lady cry? _

"Hmph. Wright. You do realize I'm sitting right nearby, don't you? The least you could do is whisper so that I don't hear you talking about me to your fellow workers." Edgeworth crossed his arms.

"Sorry Edgeworth." Phoenix turned back to Athena and Apollo. "So that's why Edgeworth is even here."

They saw a head peek out of the curtain. Trucy saw them at the front and waved at them. Her eyes scanned the room, and she had a little frown on her face before she disappeared behind the curtain.

"I just hope she does make it though. She did promise Trucy she'd come after all."

_Hm…I wonder who it is that Ms. Cykes talking about?_ His attention went to the stage, as the announcer spoke through the microphone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the Wonder Bar! Tonight, we have a magic act being performed by one of our crowd favorites, Miss Trucy Wright!" The crowd cheered, while Edgeworth clapped politely. "Now, if everyone could please take their seats. The show will start in a minute."

Edgeworth noticed a figure approaching the table where Phoenix, Athena and Apollo were sitting. The person whispered to Phoenix, who nodded, then started looking around the room. _Why is Wright looking at me? And why is he pointing at me?! _

The person turned around and made their way to towards Edgeworth. "Excuse me, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Ms. Sterling?"

"Hi! I was wondering. Would it be alright if I sat here with you? There don't seem to be any other seats open."

_And here I was thinking_ _I would have this table all to myself. _"Of course, Ms. Sterling."

"Thanks!" She sat down and put her bag down.

Edgeworth took a quick look at her, noting that she was wearing her white coat. "Are you coming from work?"

"Yes, I am. I got stuck in traffic, and then, just a few blocks away from here, my car broke down. I almost wouldn't have made it."

"And now, presenting, Trucy Wright!"

The crowd once again cheered, and once again, Edgeworth clapped, as did Serena.

"Hello everyone! It's so nice to see all of your bright and smiling faces!" Trucy walked across the stage. "I've got a great show planned out for you tonight. Oh! Hi Serena!"

Everyone's eyes fell on the woman sitting next to Edgeworth, who shrunk under their gaze. She just waved at Trucy and smiled awkwardly.

* * *

Trucy's show was a big hit, as always. At the end of the show, when everyone else was gone, Phoenix, Apollo, Athena, and Edgeworth were the only ones left. They were backstage where Trucy was.

"So! What did you guys think?!" Trucy asked excitedly.

"You were great, just as always Trucy!" Phoenix wrapped his arms around his daughter.

"Aw…thank you Daddy! And thanks Polly, Athena, for helping me practice!"

"You were quite good, Trucy," Edgeworth added.

"Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth. I'm glad you could make it." _I don't think I would've lived with the shame had I not come. _

Serena had then walked to the group. "Trucy! Your magic show was great!"

"Thanks Serena! I was worried that you weren't going to make it!"

"I know. I'm sorry I was late. Right before I left from work, we had a serious case come in, and I had to stay for a little extra time. Then I got caught in traffic, and my car broke down. I'm lucky the traffic jam wasn't too bad, or I wouldn't have made it."

"It's alright Serena! I figured you were probably busy saving lives. There's nothing wrong with that!" Trucy searched around the backstage. "Hm…where's that stepladder? I need to get one of my props down. Oh! There it is!" She went to one side of the room and carried a stepladder **(AN: Yes, it's an actual stepladder!) **over to where they were standing.

Apollo sighed. "Trucy. How many times do I have to tell you? That's a ladder."

"No way Apollo! That's totally a stepladder!" Athena replied, and Trucy nodded her head.

"No. It's a ladder."

"I have to disagree with you there, Apollo. That is most certainly a stepladder."

"Wright. Please. _That _is a ladder." Edgeworth pointed at the object.

"See? Mr. Edgeworth agrees with me that it's a ladder."

"Polly! Mr. Edgeworth! It's a stepladder!"

"Trucy's right."

"Haven't you taught her better, Wright? It's a ladder!"

"No, Edgeworth! It's a stepladder!"

"Boss is right! It's a stepladder!"

"What would Prosecutor Blackquill say it is, Athena?"

"Simon?! Ha! If he was here, he would certainly agree with Mr. Wright. I bet he would say, 'Justice-dono. Certainly you jest! Wright-dono is the one who is correct.'"

"Hm. You want to call him and confirm that for us? Because I bet he would laugh at what you just said and say that Mr. Edgeworth's the one who's right!"

"Um…you guys? Guys? Hello?" It took a minute for Phoenix, Edgeworth, Athena and Apollo to notice Trucy before they shifted their gazes at her. She pointed silently at Serena, whose eyes were wide, and she seemed surprised.

"Are…you guys arguing…about a ladder?"

"See?! Even _she _agrees it's a ladder, and she's a doctor!" Apollo declared.

She spoke up, waving her hands in front of her. "Wait, wait! That's not what I meant!"

"Alright then, Serena. What do _you_ think it is? Is it a stepladder, which it obviously is…"

"Or is it really a ladder?" Apollo immediately added right after Athena finished.

Serena's eyes went to each person in the group. She visibly gulped, and a hand went to neck to tug at a chain that was on it. "Well…technically, it's a ladder."

"Ha! See! I told you so!" Apollo yelled at his three competitors.

"But…it's also a stepladder."

"Huh?" Apollo gave her a confused look, the triumphant grin leaving his face just as quickly as it had appeared. "What do you mean?"

"Consider this: it _is _a stepladder, because it's pretty much two ladders stuck together at the top. However, since it's a stepladder, it's therefore a ladder." Serena tapped her chin. "Think of it this way. Squares are rectangles, right? You can say that all squares are rectangles, but you _can't _say that all rectangles are squares. Similarly, with this situation, we can call all stepladders ladders, _but _we can't say all ladders are stepladders."

Silence followed Serena's last statement, and she had a nervous smile on her face.

"That…" Apollo began.

"Actually…" Athena continued.

"Makes a lot of sense," Trucy finished. "So we're all right. It's a ladder _and _a stepladder. Thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding, Serena!"

Serena shrugged. "Uh…sure. Don't mention it."

Phoenix checked his watch. "It's getting late, you guys. We should all probably head home."

"Right. We'll see you bright and early in the morning, boss!"

"Yeah. I should get going. I need to get up early tomorrow to do my Chords of Steel!"

"Come on Daddy! We've got to catch the bus home!"

"Wright. How about you call a taxi? Or I could give you two a ride."

"Nah, it's alright Edgeworth. We'll be fine on the bus. Thanks for the offer, though."

Trucy addressed Serena. "How are you getting home?"

"Oh, me? I'm just going to walk home."

"You're going to walk home? This late at night? How about you take the bus?" Athena questioned.

"I need to get some exercise, and I don't mind walking."

Apollo then asked, "What about your car?"

"My car? It won't even start up, so I have to get it towed and checked out in the workshop."

"Okay then. We better get going, you guys, otherwise we'll definitely miss our bus!" Phoenix motioned for them to follow him.

**Okay. I'll be honest. The main objective I had for writing this chapter was to address the whole ladder/stepladder debate. I just loved that running joke, so I figured I should include it in this chapter. Plus, things are going to get a bit more serious, so I wanted this to be a light and easy chapter. Feel free to review and/or private message me! Thanks!**


	6. Ch 5: Turnabout Contest

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 5 – Turnabout Contest

Footsteps echoed in the dark hallway. They stopped in front of an office, and after a moment of silence, the sound of keys jingling filled the hallway. A door was opened, and a gasp was let out.

* * *

Edgeworth was sitting at his desk, sipping on a cup of tea. _Hm…It isn't often that I get some quiet time to myself. _

The blaring sound of a phone ringing filled his office. _Spoke too soon…or rather, thought too soon. _"This is Edgeworth."

"Mr. Edgeworth, sir! Did you hear there was a dead body found this morning?"

"What?! Where was it found, Detective?...There?...Right…I'm on my way." Edgeworth hung up the phone. _Looks like I better get going._

* * *

Edgeworth reached his destination: the health clinic. After speaking with the workers at the front desk, he made his way down the hallway. _If I remember correctly, this should be the way towards the crime scene._ As he got closer to the scene of the crime, he realized that he could hear someone yelling. _Who could that possibly be? _He slowed his pace down as the voice became louder and louder.

"I don't care if your superior is chief prosecutor of this district or King of the entire universe! This is a hospital! And there are certain rules and regulations that are in place, and _everyone _is expected to obey them!"

_Why is this person bellowing about me?! And why does she sound so familiar? _

Edgeworth turned the corner and was met with an interesting site. There were about seven or eight very frightened police officers who were standing in a semi-circle around the person who was yelling at them.

"M…Mr. Edgeworth," one of the officers pointed out.

All of the officers stared at Edgeworth and promptly saluted him, while Edgeworth stared at the person who had been shouting.

"Ms. Sterling? What's the matter?"

Serena head whipped to her right to see Edgeworth. "Mr. Edgeworth."

"Is there a problem here?" He asked calmly.

"Yes, there is, Mr. Edgeworth. These police officers are being rather disruptive here."

"Ms. Sterling. I hope you do understand that this _is _a crime scene, and they have to investigate."

"I understand that, Mr. Edgeworth. This is a crime scene, and the police have to investigate. I respect that. However, I don't appreciate how they are tormenting our patients," she responded coolly.

"Might I ask how exactly are they tormenting your patients?"

"They keep walking up and down the halls in the ER every two minutes and questioning the patients as to whether they noticed anything out of the ordinary or suspicious."

"And?"

"And?! Do you realize how worried our patients are about the fact that this ER is the location of a crime scene? Even worse, a murder! They feel very nervous with the police running around. Not to mention that they're using their cellphones and cameras!"

"They _have _to use those things." Edgeworth tried to make sure his voice didn't betray his growing irritation.

"They can use cameras, but there's a strict rule at this clinic, and that rule states that there is _no _flash photography allowed. As for cellphones, why exactly, pray tell, do they _have _to use them, Mr. Edgeworth?"

_Ngh…that's a good point. I guess they don't really need to use them. _

"I shall concede that the officers don't need to use their cellphones, but they need to use flash photography in order to take pictures of the crime scene for investigation purposes."

"Is that so? Well, all I'm trying to say is that yes, this is a crime scene. But first and foremost, this is a hospital. We are here to take care of our patients and ensure that they feel safe, and quite frankly, that's an extremely difficult thing to do when there are so many law enforcement officers running around the place."

"Well I'm sorry, Ms. Sterling, but right now, this is a hospital _and _a crime scene, so you will need to accommodate accordingly," Edgeworth stated firmly. "Unfortunately, for the sake of investigation, the police will have to be going around the ER a lot. That cannot be helped."

She nodded her head. _Somehow, given the expression on her face, I don't find that gesture very reassuring._

"Right. So…basically, I have to let them walk around the ER for a while until the investigation is complete."

"That's correct. I'm glad you understand."

She smiled. "Of course. I think I understand perfectly. But…I do have a question Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Yes?"

"You say that for investigation purposes, the police can barge into this ER and pretty much wreak havoc. So then…hypothetically speaking, if it was for an emergency, life or death situation, given your thought process, I could go into my office and get whatever supplies I needed out of it at this very moment, right?"

"Of course not! You would be…" He was cut off by her.

"Contaminating and destroying the crime scene. That's what you were going to say, right? I'll have you know that your officers freely roaming around here is like me going into my office right now. It's unacceptable."

_This woman…she's quite aggravating! But I must control myself. _

"I don't know what to tell you, Ms. Sterling, other than request that you cooperate. I'm afraid you have no other choice in the situation."

That's when she did it. Her eyes narrowed and were looking right at his.

_She's glaring at me. 'If something glares at you, it's only polite to return the favor,' is what I was taught. _And so glare at her he did. Her eyes widened in surprise, but her glare only intensified. _Did her glare just…intensify? Hmph. Challenge accepted, Ms. Sterling. _

They glared at each other for a good two minutes. Serena crossed her arms, her glare unwavering. Edgeworth could see the anger boiling in her eyes.

He finally took a step back and looked away. He heard the officers gasp. _What are they gasping about? _He focused on Serena now, and she still had her arms crossed in front of her chest, and her foot was tapping impatiently.

"Well Mr. Edgeworth?"

_She…she…she beat me! How could that possibly be?! _He shook himself out of his reverie, cleared his throat, and then addressed the officers. "Please continue with the investigation; however, do keep in mind what Dr. Sterling has said." He turned to said doctor. "Alright, Ms. Sterling. Your patients shouldn't be complaining anymore about the officers in the halls."

"That's all I ever wanted, Mr. Edgeworth."

"Nevertheless, I personally would like to examine your office, as it was the area where the body was found. That won't pose to be an issue, will it?"

"No, no." _Finally she's cooperating. _"But I have one condition."

_I should have seen this coming. _He resisted the urge groan. "Yes, Ms. Sterling? What is your condition?"

"I'll accompany you in your investigation. After all, it is my office, and I was the one who found the body."

"Hmph. I don't see why not. Fine. You're free to join me."

"Thank you," she responded.

Throughout the investigation, they were constantly interrupted by nurses calling Serena down to the ER to help speak with and reassure patients. Due to this, and much to Edgeworth's chagrin, their investigation took nearly three hours, as Serena refused to let him take a look around without her supervision. What he had gathered from the examination of the room was that the person was _not _murdered in the office, but that the body was transported there. There was no evidence at the crime scene that would lead to a potential suspect.

Finally, Edgeworth ended his investigation and turned it over to the police. "I trust that you'll let me know when you have any leads," he said to them. He then turned to Serena, who was writing something on a chart she carried in her hand.

"Thank you for letting me investigate your office, Ms. Sterling."

"Hm?" She briefly lifted her eyes from her chart. "Sure. No problem," she replied absentmindedly.

_The least you could do is bid me a proper farewell. I could've had you arrested for refusing to cooperate as vehemently as you did if I truly desired to do so. Hmph. I should be getting back to the office anyway and decide who should take on this case from here._

* * *

Athena sighed heavily as she exited the elevator. "It's not fair. Why did _he _have to get a case now?! I need something to do! He could've at least asked me if I wanted to team up with him." She wasn't exactly in the best of moods. Trucy was at school, Mr. Wright was at Themis Legal Academy, giving another lecture, one which she and Apollo had been subjected to one too many times, and to top it all off, Apollo had a case to work on.

'Hm…I wonder what Simon is doing right now,' she thought to herself as she stood in front of his door. She raised her hand to knock, but instead, she went for the doorknob and turned it.

"Chief Prosecutor?" Simon immediately stood up.

"No silly! It's me! Although, being Chief Prosecutor doesn't sound like such a bad idea!"

Simon frowned and sat down. "Cykes-dono. What do you want?"

Athena refrained from scolding him for calling her that, and she answered his question. "I just wanted to give you company, that's all. I figured you'd be lonely all holed up here in your office."

"Hmph. That's why I have Taka here." He motioned with his head towards the perch, where his hawk friend was sleeping. "And isn't more like you're the one who's lonely and would like the company?"

"N…no. Of course not. What makes you think I came here because I'm lonely?!"

"She is lonely."

"Widget. If you keep speaking at the wrong moments, I'm going to take you off!"

"Sorry!"

"Good." Athena saw Simon smirking at her.

"Well, if I only thought that you were lonely before, now I _know _that you're lonely."

"Why you! I'll have you know that I have many other places to go and people to see if I was lonely! In fact, I'll probably just leave and go somewhere else."

"Cykes-dono." Athena stopped at the door, her hand gripping the knob tightly. "You can stay, if you'd like."

Athena slowly turned around. "Really?" Her eyes held suspicion in them.

"Really."

'He looks like he's being honest. Then again, maybe he'll just make fun of me. Oh well! I guess I can take being made fun of!'

"Hm…well…only since you insisted." Athena rushed over and sat down in one of the chairs near one side of his office. For a few minutes, she just looked around the office. Then, she couldn't help but start talking.

"So. You working on a case, Simon?"

"Yes, I am."

"What is it?"

"A murder."

"Where was the body found?"

"In a restaurant."

"Who was killed?"

"The owner of the restaurant."

"D…"

"Cykes-dono. I bet you can't stay silent for even a minute."

Of course, this insult riled up the ever-competitive Athena. "I can totally stay silent for a minute! I can do it for even longer than that actually!"

"Oh, I don't know. I don't think you could stay as silent as I can."

"You wanna bet?! Let's have a silent contest, right here, right now! First one to talk, unless it's an emergency, loses. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Okay…it starts…now!" And the room went silent. Athena's eyes once again wandered aimlessly around the room, until they landed on the table beside her chair. She picked up a magazine called "Samurai Skills" that was on it and began to read it.

Athena was so busy trying to occupy to prevent herself from talking that she missed seeing Simon shake his head, a small smile on his face, before he returned to studying his case.

After two minutes...

"Athena thinks she's going to lose."

"Widget! Ah! Oh no!" Athena's head turned slowly to look at Simon, and of course, he was sneering.

"As I expected. I win."

"WIDGET!" Athena yelled.

**I think the next chapter will focus on Phoenix and Trucy as well as a secret character. And hey! Maybe there'll be a new character or two appearing! Thanks for reading, and don't hesitate to leave a review or private message me! **


	7. Ch 6: Turnabout Cliffhangers

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 2 - Turnabout Cliffhangers

"Daddy. I have a parent-teacher conference coming up at school."

"Wait. They still have those things? Even in high school?"

"It's something new that they started recently. It's this Friday. Is that a good time for you?"

"Friday? Yeah, that sounds fine." Phoenix leaned back on the sofa in the lobby of the Wright Anything Agency. "It shouldn't take too long, right? I mean, you're a good student. You do your homework. You behave in class."

Trucy laughed a little, a guilty smile on her face. Phoenix sat up. "Trucy," he began carefully. "You have been behaving in class, haven't you?"

"Of course I have Daddy!" _Well that's a relief. _"Although…there may have been one or two times where I was doing a magic trick, and it might have gotten…a teensy-weensy bit out of hand." _Oh boy. I hope it was nothing too bad._ "No one got hurt or anything." _If that was meant to reassure me, it hasn't. _

Just then, the doorbell rang. "Oh hey! Someone's here!"

Phoenix stood up. I'll get that. _It can't be Apollo or Athena. They'd just walk right in without knocking or ringing the bell. Plus, they've both got cases to handle. _

Phoenix opened the door and was face-to-face with three girls. "Hiya Nick! Long time, no see!"

"Hello Mr. Nick."

Phoenix couldn't say anything. He just stared in shock.

* * *

"Hm. There's nothing suspicious here." Apollo was kneeling on the ground near the chalk outline of a body. He stood up and groaned. "Well I can say with complete certainty that there's nothing here which would suggest that my client had anything to do with the murder, or that anyone else for that matter."

He turned around when he heard footsteps approaching. "Serena."

"Apollo! How goes the investigation?"

"Oh. It's going. There isn't much here for me to go off of, though." Apollo sighed.

"I see. The police said the same thing to me."

"I guess I'm going to have to keep on going with the investigation. Thank you for letting me take a look around."

"No problem. And thank you for being subtle about your investigation. We've been having so many problems here ever since I found that body in there."

"You're welcome. I'll see you later."

Apollo left Serena's office and went back through the halls of the ER to the front of the clinic. On his way out, he had bumped into someone. "Oh. I'm sorry."

SNAP!

* * *

Athena was at a jewelry store. She was on her own case. "Hey! Do you have permission to be here?!"

Athena heard a female addressing her. Turning around, she saw a woman wearing a white lab coat and a pair of glasses on her head. She had brown hair which was tied in a bun and let loose in a ponytail.

'Hm…this must be Detective Skye. I remember Apollo telling me about her.'

Athena walked up to the detective with a bright smile on her face. "Hi there! My name is Athena Cykes! I'm the defense attorney handling this case."

"A defense attorney, huh? Well, I'm not sorry to say that I can't help you out here."

'Yeesh. Apollo sure wasn't kidding when he said she was moody.'

Ema pulled out a bag of Snackoos and started munching on them.

"Oh! Hey! Can I have one?"

"No, no! I only have a limited amount of these! They're my source of energy for the investigation."

'Hm. She sure is a tough cookie. I better be careful, or I might get Snackooed.'

"You're Ema Skye, right?"

Ema shot a sideways glance at Athena. "I am. How did you know that?"

Athena smiled. "Mr. Wright and Apollo told me about you."

"Mr. Wright? You know Mr. Wright?"

'I've piqued her interest. This'll be a cinch!'

"I sure do! Mr. Wright is my boss!"

"Oh! You work at the Wright Anything Agency?" Athena nodded. "Why didn't you just say so?!" Ema stuffed her Snackoos into her bag. "Let me give you a rundown of what's happened."

'Wow. She perked up pretty quick!'

Ema explained to Athena the whole case. "The owner of this jewelry store, one Mr. Darnell Hawthorne, was found dead by one of his employees this morning. We're still waiting for an autopsy report, but we think that the cause of death was a stab wound to the chest, so death would've been instantaneous. And the person who was arrested…"

"Is my client. Well, that's certainly a start. Do you know who the prosecutor for the case is?"

"That would be me, Fraulein."

Athena saw Ema's face go from smiling to downright aggravation. "Oh great. It's the glimmerous fop."

"Hello, Fraulein Detective. Fraulein Cykes."

"Hey you! My name is Ema Skye, not 'Fraulein Detective!' Try to get it right! Or have you lost too many brain cells from playing your rock music so loud?!"

'Whoa! She's brutal!'

"Of course I know your name, Fraulein Detective! I just wanted to spice things up a bit." Prosecutor Gavin ignored the dirty look he received from Ema and addressed Athena. "So. You're going to be the one who's going to rock the courtroom with me."

"I sure am, and you better prepare yourself!" Athena slammed her fist into her palm. "Because I'm going to be totally psyched, and I'm gonna bring down the courthouse!"

Prosecutor Gavin laughed and snapped his fingers. "Ah! We'll see about that! Now." He finally spoke to Ema, who was now brooding. "Fraulein Detective. Would you care to show Fraulein Cykes and me around the crime scene?"

"Do I care to? No."

"But might I remind you that you have to?"

"No. I don't need _you_ to remind me of that!" Ema motioned her hand at Athena. "Come on, Athena. Let me show you around."

"Um…okay." Athena shrugged and followed the detective. Prosecutor Gavin trailed behind them.

'Well. It's pretty obvious that Detective Skye isn't all that fond of Prosecutor Gavin. But…hm…I sense something…"

* * *

_There have been so many murders recently. I wonder if they're all connected to…to them?_ Edgeworth sighed. Three of his subordinates were working hard investigating three different murders which had occurred in close proximity to each other in terms of time.

_I have to continue my main investigation of them. I don't have enough information about them. There are so many files hidden. This is definitely not going to be an easy task. _

Edgeworth was at the bottom floor of the Prosecutor's office. He had just back from a quick break for lunch. He was standing near the front desk, reading one of his case files.

"You have a lot of explaining to do!"

_Oh no. Not again. What could it possibly be this time? _

**Hope you guys liked this chapter. It's not really much. Things should be getting more interesting in the next few chapters! Feel free to leave me a review or private message me. Thanks!**


	8. Ch 7: Turnabout Meetings

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 7 - Turnabout Meetings

_There have been so many murders recently. I wonder if they're all connected to…to them?_ Edgeworth sighed. Three of his subordinates were working hard investigating three different murders which had occurred in close proximity to each other in terms of time.

_I have to continue my main investigation of them. I don't have enough information about them. There are so many files hidden. This is definitely not going to be an easy task. _

Edgeworth was at the bottom floor of the Prosecutor's office. He had just back from a quick break for lunch. He was standing near the front desk, reading one of his case files.

"You have a lot of explaining to do!"

_Oh no. Not again. What could it possibly be this time? _

Edgeworth watched the white coat-clad woman march up to him. "Ah, Ms. Sterling. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Mr. Edgeworth. I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

"So I gathered. How about we go up to my office?"

"That's fine with me."

Edgeworth made his way to the door labelled stairs. "What floor is your office on?"

"Oh? Just the 12th floor."

"12th floor? Wouldn't it be easier if you just took the elevator?"

"Hmph. It's good exercise to walk up and down 12 flights of stairs, is it not?"

"I guess that's true."

_Good. I was worried I'd have to explain in more detail. _They silently climbed the 12 flight of stairs, occasionally running into someone who would greet Edgeworth.

Finally, they were on the 12th floor. He led the doctor to room number 1202. "Please, come in." He held the door for her.

"Oh, thank you."

_She seems a bit mellower now._

He shut the door behind him and went to stand behind his desk. "So Ms. Sterling. What exactly is it that you wish to discuss with me?"

"Well. I thought I made it explicitly clear when you visited the hospital that I wanted the investigation to be low-key so that our patients don't feel like they're in an unsafe environment." Edgeworth nodded. "And I have done nothing but cooperate with the police as much as I can. However, I don't appreciate having a prosecutor come into the ER and think that the moment they walk in everything's under their control."

"Ms. Sterling. If I recall correctly, I don't believeI have done such a thing or asserted any kind of control over the ER." His brows furrowed a little. "I don't appreciate being falsely accused, you know."

"Of course you don't, and I'm not accusing you for that."

_Okay then…Wait. So she is accusing me of something else…_

"Then what are you accusing me for?"

"I'm accusing you for allowing one of your prosecutors to come into the ER and start bossing everyone around."

"Who…oh. I see. So I guess she did manage to visit the crime scene." _I should've realized this would have occurred. _

"Yes. And worst of all, she had a weapon with her. And she used it!"

"Ah yes. Her whip. She's quite fond of it."

Serena's eyes were wide in shock. "You…you know she carries a whip with her?!"

"Yes, I am aware of that. But she only uses it when she deems it necessary."

"'Deems it necessary?' She whipped Apollo Justice for accidentally walking into her!"

_Franziska…Didn't I tell you to be careful with that whip?! It looks like I'll have to apologize to Mr. Justice. _

"I…wasn't aware of that. I'll make sure to send my sincerest apologies to Mr. Justice."

"As good as that is to hear, I'm not finished."

_I'm not surprised. _"Alright then. Continue."

"She tried to whip me as well when I explained to her our strict 'no weapons policy.'"

"Oh? Are you alright?"

"Who me? I'm fine. That's not the point, though. How could you allow one of your subordinates to carry a weap…"

She was cut off by the sound of the door opening. "Miles Edgeworth! I demand you do something about this as soon as possible!" In the doorway stood a woman with short platinum hair, dressed in white dress shirt with long sleeves that were puffy near the shoulders and a black overcoat on top.

_How wonderful. Two women are angry at me, and one of them has a whip. _

"Hello Franziska."

"You will not believe what happened at the scene of the…YOU!" Franziska pointed her finger at Serena, who had turned to see who entered the room. "YOU! You foolish fool! How dare you show your face in this building?!"

"I was talking about this woman, Mr. Edgeworth."

"Miles Edgeworth! This fool confiscated my whip from me!"

"You what?!" Edgeworth couldn't help but allow his shock to be apparent in his voice. SNAP! "Gagh!"

"Don't look so shocked!"

"Hey! Don't whip him!"

Franziska aimed her whip at Serena. Edgeworth saw the whip head towards its target, and he saw a swift hand grab at the whip and hold it firmly. _Did she just…catch Franziska's whip?! _

"Did you really think you'd be able to whip me? Especially after your first failed attempt?"

"You! Let go of my whip, you fool!" The doctor let it go, and Franziska wiped it with a handkerchief. "To think your foolish hands dared to touch my beloved whip a second time!"

_Second time? Just what happened between these two at the ER?_

He cleared his throat. "Please. If you two would just calm down."

"I've been maintaining my composure, Mr. Edgeworth. It's your fellow prosecutor who is making a fuss."

"Why you!" Franziska pulled on her whip.

"Franziska," Edgeworth warned. "Please control yourself. You don't want to further embarrass yourself, do you?"

"Don't tell me what to do, Miles Edgeworth." Franziska crossed her arms, her whip still in her right hand.

"Now. Ms. Sterling was the first one here, so I'll let her finish. Ms. Sterling?"

Serena nodded. "Anyway, as I was saying before, we have a strict no weapons policy we enforce at our hospital. Long story short, I don't mind having…Ms. Von Karma, was it?" Serena briefly looked at Franziska, who had her arms crossed and her nose up in the air. "I don't mind her having a look around the crime scene, but I do request that she _not _bring her whip into the premises, unless she wants it be confiscated again."

"I do not go anywhere without my whip! Your hospital is just going to have to deal with that!"

"The rules we enforce aren't there because we want to boss people around Ms. Von Karma. They are there because we want to assure everyone's safety. Not just our patients and staff, but everyone who may be at the hospital."

Franziska turned to Edgeworth. "This is preposterous! I refuse to listen to this foolish woman! I will bring my whip wherever I want to, and that includes the hospital!"

"Franziska," Edgeworth began. "You do want to solve this case, don't you?"

"Of course I do! What kind of fool are you to ask such a foolish question?!"

_I'll act like you didn't say that for the time being. _"Then you'll just have to abide by the hospital rules."

"That isn't fair!"

"Let me ask you this. It's against the law to murder someone. But if someone thinks that it's unfair, are they justified to murder someone?"

"Of course they aren't!" Franziska took a moment to consider what the doctor just said. "This is a different situation. Murder is a greater offense that carrying a whip."

"You…have a point there." Serena cleared her throat. "I came here with the intention of preventing you to bring that whip into the ER."

_If only one of them would concede. I think I'm beginning to get a headache. _

"However, I will make a deal with you. You may bring your whip with you."

"Hmph. Of course you will. As if you, a mere doctor, could actually prevent me, Franziska Von Karma, from carrying my whip!"

"I'm afraid I wasn't finished, Ms. Von Karma. You can bring your whip with you; however. You have to hand it over to our security officer. Once you're done with your investigation, you can pick it up when you leave."

"Why I…"

"Franziska. Please. Just go with it."

"No! I will not go with it! I will not let this foolishly foolish fool of a doctor make me into a fool by not allowing me to carry my whip with me!"

"Ms. Von Karma. All I request is that you leave your whip with security. It won't get lost or stolen, if that's what you're worried about." Serena paused. "If you'd like, I'll personally look into it that your whip is left untouched and is ready for you upon your departure from the hospital."

"Hmph. I've made a decision on my own accord."

_She's not going to let this go. _

"I think my whip would…possibly interfere with the investigation, so I'll be leaving it behind when I go to investigate." She had a smug grin on her face. "Hmph. I'm glad I was able to clear up this issue. I bid your farewell." With a curtsey, she left the office.

Serena stared at the door before she turned back to Edgeworth, an eyebrow popped up. "Well. I guess she really did clear up that issue, didn't she?"

_Leave it to Franziska to make it look like she's being the good one. _"So I assume you have no other complaints then, Ms. Sterling?"

"Not anymore. Although I really shouldn't have had to come here to resolve this issue. No. Let me rephrase that. This shouldn't have even been an issue to begin with."

"What do you mean?"

"It's quite unheard of. Allowing your subordinates to wield a weapon."

"It cannot be helped, I'm afraid."

"Of course not," she replied sarcastically. "Anyway, I appreciate your time, Mr. Edgeworth. Have a nice day."

The door shut behind the doctor. "Why you're very welcome Ms. Sterling. You don't need to thank me. Really." His hand went to hold his head. "Hopefully that's the last I'll be hearing from her for a while."

"Maybe I can finally read this profile and decide whether to hire this young lady."

* * *

_This…isn't awkward at all._ Phoenix sat silently one of the red couches in the office. Next to him was Trucy. She was talking to Pearl and Maya, who were sitting across from Trucy, and next to them, sitting directly across from Phoenix, was her.

Trucy spoke up. "So! Who's your friend?" She motioned to the other woman. She had black hair that went down a few inches past her shoulders. She was wearing a violet magatama on her necklace, which matched her purple, pink and red traditional acolyte dress. Her hands were folded in her lap, and she was looking away.

"Oh! That's right! You two have never met!" Maya pointed to the mystery woman. "Trucy. This is Iris Fey. She's my cousin. And Iris. This is Trucy, Nick's daughter."

Iris lifted her eyes and looked at Trucy, a polite smile on her face. "Hello Trucy. Maya and Pearl have told me a lot about you."

"Hi Ms. Fey!" Trucy smiled brightly. She then turned to Phoenix. "Daddy! Don't be rude! Say something."

"…Something."

"Daddy!" Trucy playfully gave him a punch on the arm. "Sorry about that Ms. Fey! Daddy thinks he can be very funny. Now Daddy. Introduce yourself to our guest!"

"Hello…Iris." He stared at her.

"Fe…Mr. Wright." Her eyes stared into his.

_What is she doing here? And after all this time? I thought she stayed at the temple now. _

"Do…you two know each other?"

"Um…yes. After a fashion," Phoenix answered Trucy. "We…went to the same college. Sort of."

"Oh! Daddy! Why didn't you tell me about her?!"

"I guess I thought I told you once. Sorry."

Trucy regarded him carefully. "Right. Anyway, Pearl! I want to show you this new magic trick I've been practicing!" Trucy pulled Pearl into Phoenix's office room.

"Hey! I want to see too!" Maya ran off to follow the younger girls and shut the door behind her.

_It's like the three of them planned this. Well, maybe Maya and Pearls. Trucy doesn't even know about Iris. _

Iris's eyes were looking around the room, and then they landed on Phoenix.

"Long time, no see…Iris."

"Fe…Phoenix."

"How are you?"

"I'm…well…How about…you?"

"I'm…well too."

Iris nodded, looking away. "I heard you got your attorney's badge back."

"I did."

"I'm very happy for you. I couldn't…I didn't believe what I'd heard people say about you. That you forged evidence to win in court."

"Yes. That's all in the past now, where it belongs."

Iris's eyes flicked to him, a questioning look in her eyes. "Trucy…she's…your daughter."

"Yes."

"She's a nice young lady."

"Thanks."

"What…happened to her mother?"

"Her mother? Her mother…she…suffered an accident and had amnesia."

"Oh. I'm so sorry."

"You don't need to be sor…Wait. What did Maya and Pearl tell you about Trucy?"

Iris's eyes widened at Phoenix's question. "They told me how she's a magician, and…she's your daughter."

"You do realize she isn't really my daughter, don't you Iris?"

_Well, given the way her eyes just widened, she probably doesn't._

"I adopted her. After her father…disappeared."

"Oh, I see. That makes much more sense than what I originally thought. What happened to her father?"

"He…was murdered. About a year ago."

"Oh my! That's awful."

Phoenix nodded his head, and silence soon filled the air.

_What exactly should I tell her? Why is she here? Did she just come here with the girls…or did she come here to see me?_

"How is Sister Bikini?"

"Oh. She's doing well. She has a few acolytes at the temple with her right now, so they've been helping her out. She wanted me to say hi to you for her."

"Right."

"Mr. Wright…Phoenix...Fe…"

"Hey guys!" Maya burst into the room.

_Thanks Maya. You just had to interrupt us now of all times. _

"I was thinking. How about we go get some burgers?! I haven't had a good burger in a while now!"

"Did you say burgers?! That sounds like a great idea!" Trucy came out from the office room, followed by Pearl. "Come on Daddy!" She locked arms with Phoenix.

"O…Okay. I guess we can go get some burgers."

Maya and Pearls led the way with Iris walking between them.

As they walked to the local burger joint, Phoenix's mind was consumed by Iris. _What was she going to say? Was it important? And why do I care? I let go of that part of my past eight years ago. I can't let it haunt me now. I've got Trucy to worry about, and the agency._

* * *

Apollo entered the agency. "Hello? Anyone here?!" He looked around. "Of course. No one's here." Apollo sighed, rubbing his right shoulder. "I can't believe I got whipped. At a hospital! People are usually supposed to be healed of their injuries there, not have injuries inflicted on them."

"Hey! Anyone here?!" Another voice called from the door. "Oh hey Apollo! What are you doing here?"

"Athena. I just got back from an investigation. And you? Were you bothering Prosecutor Blackquill again?"

"Ha. For your information, I was investigating too!"

Apollo's eyebrows went up. "So you have a case?" She nodded excitedly. "How about you tell me about it?"

Athena filled Apollo in on her case, and he told her about his.

"I almost forgot to tell you! I met Detective Skye today!"

"Oh, you met Ema? How is she?"

"You were right. She can be pretty grumpy, although she was in a much better mood when I mentioned that I worked for Mr. Wright."

Apollo nodded. "That's because Mr. Wright defended her sister almost ten years ago. She's very grateful to him for that."

"I could tell, but just as her spirits went up, they fell straight down."

"Let me take a wild guess. Prosecutor Gavin came into the area."

"That's right! How did you know that?"

"Ema does not like Prosecutor Gavin. She calls him a glimmerous fop. I think it's because it's his fault that Mr. Wright had lost his badge."

"But it wasn't really his fault, was it?"

He shook his head. "Nonetheless, she still doesn't like him. She hates the guy's guts."

"You know, Apollo? I don't think I'd go so far as to saying she hates his guts."

"Athena. Have you even seen the way she interacts with him?!"

"Yes I have, but I have something you don't have Apollo."

"What's that?"

Athena tapped her ears. "Senstitive hearing, duh! I didn't sense complete hatred from Detective Skye's heart."

"Then what exactly did you sense?"

"I wasn't able to hear it much, because she immediately started telling us…er, rather me, about the details of the crime."

"Well. Whatever it is, I guess we ponder on that later. Where is Mr. Wright and Trucy? I thought they'd be here at the office for sure!"

Athena looked around. "That's what I though too." She gasped for a second. "You don't think they went out somewhere without telling us or bringing us along, do you?"

Apollo saw Widget turned red and display the angry face. "N…no. Athena. I'm sure they didn't. Let's just take a look outside and see if they're nearby." He and Athena walked out of the agency and into the street. "They're probably just walking around doing nothing."

* * *

"Right. They're just walking around. Or they could be eating burgers without us." Athena spoke up. She and Apollo saw Mr. Wright, Trucy, and three other girls eating away at burgers outside the local burger joint.

"That's Maya and Pearls! I haven't seen them in a while. But wait, who's that other girl? And why is she staring at Mr. Wright?"

"I think the better question to ask would be why is Mr. Wright staring at that girl?" Apollo corrected.

"Look at Mr. Wright. Surrounded by all those lovely looking girls." Athena bumped her elbow into Apollo's side. "Makes you seem like a failure with the girls."

"Ha, ha, ha. That's real funny. I don't need to swarmed by a whole bunch of girls to know my self-worth. Unless I was Prosecutor Gavin."

"Hm. I wonder if you'd say the same thing in front of him?"

Apollo looked at Athena momentarily, and then quickly spoke up. "How about we go join them? I could go for a burger myself."

"Me too!" Athena jogged to the table, waving her hands and calling out, "Hi Mr. Wright!" A few people walking down the street stopped and gave Athena some odd looks.

Apollo shook his head, sighing. "Way to attract so much attention to us, Athena?" He slowly went over to where Athena was now.

"Hey Boss! You know, you could've left a note at the office telling us where you were! I almost started worrying!"

"Sorry Athena. We kind of left in a rush."

"Hello there, Pearl. Maya…Um…" Apollo stared at the third woman. "Hi there."

"I'm Athena Cykes!" She held up a peace sign and smiled brightly. "I'm a defense attorney who works at Mr. Wright's agency!"

"As I was going to say before Athena interrupted me, my name is Apollo Justice. I'm also a defense attorney at the Wright Anything Agency."

"Hello there. My name is Iris Fey."

"Fey…are you related to Pearl and Maya?" Apollo asked.

"Yes. I'm Maya's cousin."

"Cool! Hey Boss! Can Apollo and I join you guys?"

"Sure!" Maya piped in. "The more the merrier!"

"Yeah…sure," Phoenix answered.

The two younger defense attorneys sat down with the group and chatted away.

After a little while, Athena and Apollo were eating their burgers and listening to Maya and Pearl talk about their lives.

"So how long are you guys going to be staying here?" Trucy asked.

"Well. I'm going to go back in a week. I have to be at the village and take care of things there."

Pearl nodded. "Since Mystic Maya is the Master, she can't be gone for too long. I'm going to be staying for few weeks with Iris, since I'm on vacation right now from school."

"Cool! I can show you more of my magic tricks!" Trucy added excitedly. She, Maya and Pearl laughed.

_Hm…Mr. Wright seems awfully quiet. _Phoenix was staring down at his half-eaten burger. Apollo bit into his burger, and his eyes went over to Iris, who was looking down at the table. _So does Iris. I wonder what's up with the odd atmosphere between them? _

Even though Athena was talking to the girls, she also noticed the weirdness between the two individuals. _Mr. Wright…his heart seems to have a lot of discord in it. Could it be because of Iris? Who exactly is she? How do they know each other? They couldn't have possibly just met. Hm…What could it be? _

Athena's eyes wandered around, and she spotted a waiter carrying a basket of fries. "Waiter! Waiter! I want a basket of french fries too!"

Needless to say, Athena quickly forgot about the tense atmosphere between Iris and Phoenix.

**Ugh…This chapter. I'm not so sure it's as good as the others, and it took me way too long to write up. The beginning was especially hard with Franziska. I don't know if I've done her character justice, but I'm trying! And yay! I snuck Iris into the story! Thanks for reading, and welcome to any and all followers! Feel free to leave me a review or private message. **


	9. Ch 8: Turnabout Losses

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 8 – Turnabout Losses

"Good morning Simon!"

"Cykes-dono. Must you bother me this early in the morning?"

"Well I never! I just thought you might need some cheering up!"

"Why would I, of all people, need to be cheered up?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you lost your trial?" She smiled evilly.

"Ah. I should've known that you would've heard about that."

"Aha! So it is true! I didn't believe it when I first heard Mr. Wright tell me…" She saw Simon's smirk. "And just what are you smirking about?!"

He tilted his head to the side. "So you didn't think I actually lost the trial, did you?"

"That's not…I mean. Gr! That's not the point! The point is that you lost!"

"Hmph. So I lost. It's not that big of a deal. After all, even I found it hard to believe that that man could've been capable of murdering the restaurant owner."

"So…what exactly did you find out in the trial?"

"Apparently, the defendant, one Mr. Adalbert Zalman, owed a large debt to the owner of the restaurant, so he was the prime suspect. The motive was thought to be that if he killed the owner, who was threatening to blackmail him if he didn't pay him off. By killing the man, the defendant wouldn't have to worry about paying off the debt. Not to mention that there was footage of him entering the restaurant and leaving the restaurant, and when he was leaving, there was a huge red stain on his once flawless white shirt."

Athena gasped. "He had the defendant's blood on him?!"

"No. He had gotten into a fight with the owner, who ended up throwing a bowl of tomato soup at him."

Athena did everything she could to hold in her laughter. "Wow."

"It isn't all that funny, Cykes-dono. Because of that seemingly incriminating evidence, an innocent man nearly went to jail. Not to mention that I myself was deceived into thinking that this was decisive evidence."

Athena calmed herself down immediately. _Hm. I guess this case must remind him of his. After all, that one picture taken did make it seem like he was the murderer. _

"So…what ended up happening?"

"The defense attorney was able to prove that the red liquid was indeed not blood, and he proved that the video had been tampered with so that it would look like the defendant was responsible for the crime."

"That's intense. So…who was this defense attorney who defeated you?"

"I don't really recall his name, although I believe he knows Chief Prosecutor. Or at least, Chief Prosecutor knows him."

"I wonder who that is? Anyway, so you're not busy anymore, are you?"

"Actually, we're still trying to figure out who it was that murdered the victim, Mr. Mario Myron."

"What an odd name. But…I guess that means you are busy." He nodded. "Oh well." She sighed.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Cykes-dono. Looks like you're going to have to relieve your boredom elsewhere."

"Hey! I'm not bored! I was just curious." Athena crossed her arms and held her chin up, her eyes closed. "Plus, I'm actually investigating a case of my own."

"Oh, are you? Certainly you jest."

"I am not joking! I'm investigating the murder of one Darnell Hawthorne."

"Hawthorne? The jeweler, right?"

"That's right! I happen to be quite busy with that investigation; however, out of the kindness of my heart, I figured I should risk some of my time and venture over here to help comfort you after your defeat."

Simon rolled his eyes. "Cut the dramatics, Cykes-dono."

"If that's how you're going to be, then I'll just be on my way back to my investigation then."

"Hold on there!" Athena turned around to see that Simon had stood up and was walking towards her. "I guess I could accompany you."

"You're…you're going to accompany me?" _Oh happy day! He's actually going to join me to go outside for once!_ "Why?"

"Well, I would like to look into that case myself."

"But don't you know? Prosecutor Gavin's the one assigned to that case."

"Oh, him? Hmph. Why did Chief Prosecutor assign him to the case? Surely I am much more capable that guitar-wielder."

Athena wagged her finger. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Simon. You shouldn't be so jealous of Prosecutor Gavin because he has the ability to rock the courthouse and the stage, while you can't even rock at all."

"I'll have you know that if the situation arose, I would be able to out-rock Gavin!"

_Oh. Seems like I've ruffled some feathers. This should be interesting. _"Seriously, Simon. Do you even know how to play any kind of musical instrument? The only thing you know how to do is wave swords around."

"Hmph. I don't wave swords around. I practice and perfect the physical art that is sword-wielding. The sound of my sword slicing the thin air is the best music to my ears."

_Oh Simon. You really are a samurai. _"You still didn't answer my question."

"Why do I need simple musical instruments when I have my sword skills which greatly aid me in my pursuit to bringing criminals to justice?"

"Prosecutor Gavin can bring criminals to justice with his musical instruments, and he can also get all of the ladies to watch him as he's walking down the street."

"Oh? And why would I want females to be watching me when I walk down the street? I don't need that to know of my self-worth."

_It's funny. Apollo said the same thing. I shouldn't tell Simon that though. He might not like that. _

"Plus, only silly girls would be impressed by the likes of him. Smart girls would admire my sword skills. Of course, I don't expect you to be a part of the latter, Cykes-dono."

_Wait. What exactly did he just say? _She watched him exit the office, and then she yelled, "Hey! Don't you insult me like that and walk away!" She stood there in his empty office for a minute. "I'll have you know that I really do admire your sword skills, much more than I admire Prosecutor Gavin's musical skills." She held her hand to her chest. "But I'm too chicken to say that to your face." She sighed and went out to go find Simon.

* * *

"Mr. Wright."

"Good morning, Apollo. What brings you to the office this morning?"

"I thought I should fill you in on the case so far." Apollo recapped his investigation. "And then, when I was leaving the hospital, I ran into this lady on accident, and she whipped me!"

"Whipped you? Who would come to a hospital with a whip?" Phoenix then considered what Apollo had told him. "I take that back. I happen to know someone who would do something like." He looked at Apollo. "Was this woman a prosecutor?"

"Yes! Her name was Fran…Fran something."

"Franziska Von Karma."

"Yeah! That was it! Wait. You know her?!"

"Oh yes, I do. We go way back. I guess I didn't consider the possibility that she would be the prosecutor for the case you're handling. And I guess she hasn't parted ways with her whip after all these years," he said with a knowing smile on his face.

_You know, Mr. Wright. You could've warned me about her. If I'd known about her, maybe, just maybe, I would've avoided the wrath of her whip. _

"Sorry I forgot to warn you about her."

"Thanks," Apollo replied dryly. "Although, I do find it kind of sad that Mr. Edgeworth apologized to me before you did, Mr. Wright."

"Edgeworth apologized to you?! I wonder if he's finally becoming a softie."

Apollo smiled. "Should I tell him you were wondering that?"

"Uh…no. If he hears that, he might just get Franziska to whip me, and I would rather not be whipped after being whip-free for nearly ten years."

"Okay. I guess I won't tell him. Moving on, Mr. Wright. There was something I've been meaning to ask you about yesterday, but I didn't get the time."

Phoenix leaned back in his office chair behind his desk. "What is it Apollo?"

"Who exactly is that girl we met yesterday? You know, Iris?" Apollo noted how Phoenix repositioned himself so that he was sitting straight. "Trucy told me that the two of you went to college together. Is she a friend?"

"I…guess you could say that."

_Mr. Wright. You're hiding something, I can feel it. The question is what, and why?_ "Oh? What do you mean?"

"I…defended her in a case. Actually, that was the last case I took on before the case where I lost my badge. I probably didn't tell you about that case, did I?"

"No, you didn't."

"I didn't tell you because it…kind of brings back old memories." Phoenix then quickly added, "What I mean is that since it was my last real case before I got disbarred…"

"I get it, Mr. Wright."

"Right. Of course you do." Phoenix reached into his desk and pulled out a file. "Um…so I hope you don't mind Apollo, but I'm afraid I'll have to cut this conversation short. I've got some important paperwork to look into."

"Oh, right. Sorry for bothering you Mr. Wright. I just thought I should keep you updated on the case."

"Thanks. I appreciate that. Good luck with the investigation. And if you see Franziska, tell her I said hi."

Apollo gulped. "Sure, no problem." _I really hope I don't run into her. I don't want risk getting whipped a second time!_

* * *

Phoenix sighed heavily when he heard the office door shut. _That was close. I thought I'd have to tell him about that case…_

The same door that shut was opened once more. "Hey Nick! You in here?!"

"I'm in my office!" He yelled.

"There you are!" Maya plopped herself into the chair that was on the other side of his desk. "How you doing, Nick? I see that you don't have any cases to take care of right now!"

"Maya."

"Whoa! What's up with the serious demeanor?! You've been like that ever since we got here yesterday! Oh no!" Maya's hands went up to cover her mouth. "Please don't tell me the unthinkable has happened!"

"What…are you talking about?"

"I knew it! I should've had someone here supervise you! Oh dear! You're a lost cause now, Nick! Oh! I failed you!"

"Maya! Get a grip of yourself! What are you babbling about?!" _You'd think that being Master of Kurain would make her more mature! _

"He's rubbed off on you!"

"Who?!"

"Mr. Edgeworth! He's infected you with his grumpiness!"

"Maya! Get a hold of yourself! Edgeworth didn't pass his grumpiness on to me! And I'm not grumpy! I'm just confused!"

Maya stopped her hysterics. "What's got you so confused, Nick?"

"I'm confused as to why you and Pearls brought Iris with you guys."

"Oh, that. We thought it'd be a nice change for her to leave the temple and come spend some time here in LA!" Maya turned her head, a mischievous smile on her face. "And…it has been a long time since you two lovebirds have seen each other!"

"Maya! We are not lovebirds!" _Gosh. I wish I could back in time and tell my 26 year-old self that it wasn't a good idea to tell Maya about Iris and Dahlia! _

"Nick! Come on! Don't deny it! You two have got some major chemistry between the two of you." She sighed happily, her eyes having a far-off, dreamy look in them. "I can still remember when the two of you first saw each other after all those years! You couldn't take your eyes off each other. Literally!"

Phoenix looked away. "That was a long time ago, Maya. It's been years! We've both moved on."

"Whoa. Iris has not moved on, Nick. And as far as I know, neither have you!"

"I can't speak for Iris, but I can speak for myself. Now listen to me. I may have had feelings for Iris way back when, but after that case got resolved, I finally let go of her. I don't harbor anymore feelings for her whatsoever."

Maya was silent. "I…I see. Well…If that is how you feel, then…I guess I'll have to respect that, won't I?"

_What?! Is this really the Maya who was freaking out on me not too long ago? Huh. I guess she really did mature after all. _

"Sorry about that, Nick. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable by bringing her. I…was actually hesitant about the whole idea myself, but then Pearly suggested it, and…I didn't want to let her down."

"Pearls…Does she feel the same way?"

Maya nodded. "I think…when we finally made it clear to her that we weren't intending on being together, she's been trying to find someone else for you. So…do try to be gentle with her."

Phoenix nodded. "What about you? Shouldn't she be finding someone for you too?" He didn't fail to notice how Maya's face turned a little red. "Maya," he began slowly, a smile emerging on his face. "Have you found someone special?"

"I…well…" Her eyes shot up at the clock. "Oh! Look at the time! I need to get going! We'll talk later Nick! Bye!" She zoomed out of the room.

"Oh Maya. You really haven't changed much, have you?"

Phoenix's smile faded. _Pearls. I wish you didn't bring her here. This makes things complicated for me. I shouldn't think on this too much. Let me read this file._

He opened the file for the case that Athena was working on. "Hm…A jeweler was murdered. Prosecutor Gavin's on the case. That's good….Ema Skye's the detective. Oh. That might not be so good if he's the prosecutor. Now…who exactly is this jeweler?" Phoenix read the profile on the jeweler and gasped. "Wait a second. A jeweler. His last name's…Hawthorne. Could this be…" He read on. "'The victim had one step-daughter and his own daughter. The former was one Ms. Valerie Hawthorne, who was murdered, and the latter was one Ms. Dahlia Hawthorne, who was found guilty of murder and was executed about ten years ago."

Phoenix looked up, his eyes wide. "The victim…was Iris's father!" _I…I wonder if she knows…I hope she doesn't. Now, she's lost everyone in her biological family._

* * *

Apollo was locked his bike on the bike rack near the hospital front door. "Time to do more investigating!" He walked into the lobby, which was almost empty, save for a few people waiting to check in.

Just then, the Guitar Serenade ringtone filled the air. _Oh no! I forgot to silence my phone! _His eyes went around the room, and he had a guilty smile on his face. "Sorry!" He rushed outside and picked up the phone. "Hello! This is Apollo Justice!"

"Hi Apollo. It's me!"

"Juniper!" Apollo ran a hand over his head. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well. How about you?"

"I'm fine!"

He could hear Juniper giggled. "I can tell! So I was wondering if you wanted to…maybe meet up at People Park today?"

Apollo frowned. "Aw, Juniper. I really wish I could, but I'm actually investigating a case right now."

"Oh, I see."

_She sounds disappointed! _"But…could we meet tomorrow maybe? I don't have anything planned for tomorrow afternoon."

"I…actually have a lecture I have to attend at the academy. I'm sorry Apollo."

"No, no. I'm sorry, Juniper." _Great! We barely have time to meet up with each other when I have no cases to handle, and then when she has time, I suddenly get a case. What a loss… _ Apollo then added, "But maybe…could we plan something for this weekend then?"

"Yeah…that would be nice!"

_Good. She sounds happier now. _

"I'll let you get going to investigate then, Apollo. Talk to you later. Bye!"

"Bye Juniper." He hung up the phone, and sighed, a goofy smile on his face. He then shook himself. "That's right! I've got a crime to investigate." He put his phone away, and stood in front of the doors. "Crime scene…Here comes Justice!"

**I'm glad you guys like the story so far! I decided to take a little break from Edgeworth and focus more on Cykesquill, JuniePolly (I looked up their ship name online, and I came across this…I think it's kind of cute actually, but if anyone knows the actual name for the ApolloxJuniper ship, please do let me know!), and a little bit of Feenris. However, Edgeworth will be back next chapter, and maybe the appearance of another AA character! Can you guess who it might be? Feel free to leave a review or private message me! Thanks!**


	10. Ch 9: Turnabout Unexpected

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 9 - Turnabout Unexpected

One week later...

Edgeworth was signing some legal documents in his office. After writing the last signature, he sat back in his chair. _Ah, finally. Now that that's done, I can make myself a nice cup of tea._

Knock, knock, knock.

_Or I can entertain guests. Just watch it be Wright and Co._ "It's open, Wright. I should've expected that you'd come here." He had his back turned as he picked up his teapot.

"Um...I'm sorry Mr. Edgeworth, but I'm not Mr. Wright."

"Of course you aren't." He turned around and held in the urge to groan; instead, he smirked a little. "Ah, Ms. Sterling. Come to yell at me once more?"

The doctor winced. "Heh, heh. No actually. I've come waving a white flag."

"Oh?"

"I...came here...to apologize to you."

"Apologize? What for?"

"My behavior and attitude towards you last week." She frowned. "I was...extremely rude and hostile to you when you came to the ER that day, and then I came here and made such a big scene out of what was really a rather trivial matter." She looked away, one arm grabbing the other. "Thinking back on it, I realize that you were trying to do your job, just as I was trying to do mine, but I didn't respect you the way I should have." She finally looked back up at him. "I apologize, and I hope you can forgive me."

"Hm. Well, I suppose I could consider forgiving you."

Her frown deepened, and a guilty look appeared in her eyes. "I really am sorry, Mr. Edgeworth. I didn't mean to be so awful to you. I...I'm sure you'd find it hard to believe, but I usually don't blow up on people like that. I guess I was kind of...preoccupied with the whole hospital-being-the-crime-scene situation, and with all of the patients getting worried. I was stressed out; however, that doesn't excuse what I did or how I acted."

_Well, I suppose she does seem to be genuinely sorry._

"Alright Ms. Sterling. I forgive you."

She smiled in relief. "Thank you." She shook her head a little. "Thinking back, I was acting so immature. I mean, I even glared at you, as if we were having some kind of contest or something." She chuckled.

"Heh, heh. Right...a contest." _Ngh... Will I never live down the shame of having lost?!_

"Anyway, I have to get going, but before I leave, where is Ms. Von Karma's office?"

"You mean Franziska's? Her office is one floor down. Why?"

"I wanted to apologize to her as well."

"Then I should warn you. She might just use that whip of hers on you, especially since this is sort of her territory. And I'm afraid that I won't be able to stop her."

Serena thought for a moment. "That's...a risk I'm willing to take." She nodded her head. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Edgeworth. And please know that you're more than welcome to come to the clinic if you'd like to further investigate, and I'll be more than happy to help. Have a nice day."

"I'll keep that in mind, and the same to you, Ms. Sterling."

* * *

"How's your investigation going, Athena?"

"Not bad, I guess. Although, it wasn't exactly too great last week."

"What do you mean?"

"Simon was so rude to Prosecutor Gavin! He started criticizing him for working with the defense, and Taka almost attacked him!"

"And this actually comes as a shock to you? And I'd rather have that hawk attack me than get whipped!"

"Whipped? Who whipped you?"

"There's this prosecutor named Franziska Von Karma. She's prosecuting my case."

"Oh right, her! Boss told me about her."

Apollo waved his hands up in the air. "Are you kidding me?! He told you, the newest recruit at the agency, about the whip-wielding prosecutor, but he doesn't tell me?! What is up with that?"

Athena smiled cheekily and shrugged. "He probably thinks I'm much more awesome than you!"

"Right, that's it." Apollo gazed at his file for brief second and then looked up at Athena. "Hey, speaking of Mr. Wright, did you notice that he's been…acting a little weird lately?"

Athena looked up from her desk. "You know, I did. He's been uncharacteristically quiet. I wonder why."

"I think it has to do with that girl, Iris."

"You think that too?"

Apollo nodded. "He told me about her when I asked him last week. Apparently, he defended her in a case. It was the last case he took on before the whole forging scandal."

"Is that so? Hm…" Athena stood up and walked over towards one of the bookshelves.

"Athena! What are you doing?!"

"What does it look like I'm doing?! I'm trying to find that case file!"

"Mr. Wright could get mad at you for snooping!"

"Hey! In case you forgot, he told the two of us that we were more than welcome to look through the files from his old cases!" Apollo sighed. "And it's your fault for bringing it up. You've piqued my curiosity, and I must investigate!"

_I just had to go and open my big mouth, didn't I?_

"Hm…that's weird. I…don't see that file here."

"You don't?" Apollo now walked over to where Athena was searching. "It has to be here somewhere."

* * *

One hour later…

"We looked through every file here Apollo! Face it! It isn't here!"

"Either it isn't here, or he's kept it locked away."

"Locked away?" Athena's eyes drifted toward Phoenix's desk.

"Athena. I saw the evil glint that just went through your eyes. We can't go through Mr. Wright's desk! That's an invasion of his privacy!"

"Well, unless someone tells Boss that we went through his desk, he isn't going to know, now is he Apollo?"

_Oh boy. That look…I know I shouldn't be scared of her. I'm older than her! She's my junior. But still…_

"Okay, okay. I'm not going to look through his desk, but I'm not going to tell him you did."

Athena smiled. "Thanks Apollo!" She bustled over to the desk, and began opening the drawers.

"Nope…nope…nope…Aw!"

"What? What is it?!"

Athena held up a small picture. "Look at this picture of Trucy when she was little! Isn't she adorable?!"

"Athena…you're getting distracted."

"Oh right! The case file." She was now on her knees, looking through the desk cabinets. "This one doesn't have any case files in it. How about this one?" She pulled on it, but it wouldn't opened. "That's odd." She pulled again. "Oh, stubborn are you? No problem! I've just got to use my super strength."

Apollo watched as Athena struggled to get the drawer to open. _Heh heh. I should ask her if she needs help, not that she'll want it._ "Hey Athena. Do you need some help?"

"I was wondering when you'd ask, Apollo."

_Whoa. She must be desperate to get that thing open! _

He rubbed his hands together as he made his way to the desk. "Stand back Athena. I've got this!" Athena did as she was told, and Apollo attempted to open the drawer. "Hm. This should open!" He pulled harder. "Come on now!" He groaned. "Open!"

"You're not trying harder enough Apollo!"

"Yes, I am!"

"Let me take over."

"No, no! I'll open it…if it's…the last thing…I do."

"Ahem."

"Don't you ahem me, Athena! If we want to find that file, we've got to get this thing open!"

"That…wasn't me Apollo," Athena replied, her voice small.

He looked up. "What do you…" His voice trailed off as he saw a man standing in the middle of the room. Apollo's eyes went from the man to desk and back to the man. He quickly let go of the drawer. "Mr. Edgeworth!" He placed a hand on the desk and leaned on it, trying to be as casual as he could. "What brings you here?"

"Well. I was here to speak to Wright, but I assume he's out of the office?"

"Yup! He's a little busy right now! I was just working, and Apollo's snooping around for one of Mr. Wright's case files!"

_Excuse me?! You were the one who was so persistent on finding that file, and now you're making me the bad guy?! _

"Hmph. I can see that."

_Great. I wonder what he must think of me?_

Apollo crossed his arms, deciding to change the subject. "So…Mr. Edgeworth. What brings you here to the Wright Anything Agency? Do you have a case for Mr. Wright?"

"No, I don't."

"Oh."

Edgeworth pushed at his glasses. "I came to speak with him for a moment about an investigation I've been doing."

"What is it? Wait. Is it top-secret?" Athena asked excitedly.

"Yes, it is top-secret, actually."

"So what is it?"

_Did he not just say it was top-secret Athena? Way to be nosy. _

The prosecutor cleared his throat. "As I mentioned, the investigation is top-secret, so I can't disclose any information pertaining to it to any outside parties."

"Ouch, Mr. Edgeworth. That was kind of harsh!"

Edgeworth recoiled a bit. "Don't mind her Mr. Edgeworth. And anyway, I was wondering. Maybe you could help us out with something."

"What might that be, Mr. Justice?"

"Mr. Wright. The trial before his forged evidence scandal, he defended a girl named Iris."

Once again, Edgeworth pushed his glasses up. "Yes. I do recall that case, although I wasn't the prosecutor for it."

"I was wondering…what exactly was the nature of the relationship between Mr. Wright and Iris Fey?"

Edgeworth hesitated. "He hasn't told you about the case, has he?" Apollo shook his head. "Then I can't tell you anything either."

"Aw, come on, Mr. Edgeworth! Pretty, pretty please?!"

_Athena. You obviously don't know Mr. Edgeworth well-enough to know that he isn't going to fall for that puppy dog face like Mr. Wright does. _

"Hmph. That's personal information that only Wright has the ability and right to disclose to you. However, I suggest that you…not ask him about it."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean Ms. Cykes is that that case is a part of Wright's past now, and quite frankly, I don't think he'd like to reminisce about it."

"Oh, okay."

_I have to admit. I'm just as disappointed as Athena is. I guess this is one mystery that we might not be able to solve. _

"Anyway, I've wasted much too much time here, although it was nice to see the two of you."

"Where are you going, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"I'm going to the hospital to continue the investigation there for Franziska."

"Oh! That means you'll probably see Serena! Please do tell her Athena said hi for me!"

"Um…sure. Goodbye, you two."

"Bye Mr. Edgeworth!" Athena and Apollo called out. Athena let out a heavy sigh when she heard the door shut.

"Great. Looks like we may never find out about Iris and Mr. Wright!"

"Maybe it's best that way, Athena."

"Mm…I don't think so, but it's not like there's much of a choice." She went back to stand near Phoenix's desk and examine the closed cabinet once more. "Oh!" she exclaimed.

"What? Did you open it?!"

"No. I just realized. It's locked!"

Apollo glared Athena. "…"

"If you don't have anything nice to say Apollo, don't say it!"

* * *

"Looks like we'll need to contact that person in the near future."

"Yes, it seems you're right. This individual… they could very well be planning something. Something that could be to our advantage, if we play our cards just right."

**I decided against including the new/old character in this chapter. If I did, I would've been overdosing on the OC too much. Instead, I found the perfect opportunity to pick on Apollo again! (I do feel bad to a certain extent for him, but as I have told some of you, he's just so easy to pick on!). I'm trying to give everyone equal appearances, but it is a little difficult to do seeing how this fan fiction is technically supposed to be focusing on Edgeworth, so I'm often extremely tempted to write about him. Oh well! I'm trying! But do you guys have any characters that have been mentioned so far that you would like to see in the next chapter? (I've got the Edgeworth part of it planned out, but I trying to think of who else I could include in it. I've got some ideas, but I'm kind of struggling). Please do let me know if you do, because if I can, I'd be more than happy to incorporate them in! Anyway, thanks for reading! Please feel free to review or private message me!**


	11. Ch 10: Turnabout Plans

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 10 – Turnabout Plans

Apollo decided to leave the office so as to prevent himself from yelling at Athena.

_She just had to go and make me look like the bad guy in front of Mr. Edgeworth. What if he goes and tells Mr. Wright? I'll be in trouble for sure. _

He rode his bike with no destination in mind, until he stopped at a certain location.

_Why did I come here? She's probably still at the lecture anyway. _

Apollo looked up to see Themis Legal Academy. Juniper was taking the judge's course there.

"Juniper…I wish I could see you right now." Apollo sighed.

"Apollo!"

He looked up. "Juniper?!" His face fell a little when he saw a young, brown-haired girl dressed in a red jumpsuit run towards him. "Oh. Hi Robin. How are you?"

"I'm super! What are you doing here at the academy? Looking for Juniper?" She teased.

_She and Athena would be great friends. _

"Well, not particularly, but speaking of Juniper, where is she?"

"You just missed her Apollo! She said she was going to go to the agency to visit you."

"What? Are you kidding me?! I should've just stayed there then!" Apollo looked to Robin. "Has it been long since she left?"

"Well, it's been less than an hour, but she's probably already at the office."

"Okay. I guess I'll go back there. Thanks Robin, and say hi to Hugh and Myriam for me."

"Sure!"

* * *

"Thena!"

"Junie! What a surprise!" Athena went to hug Juniper. "What are you doing here at our lovely office?"

"Oh, I just wanted to visit. I'm coming back from a lecture at the academy."

"Sit down and tell me all about it!"

Juniper relayed the lecture to Athena.

"Wow! Sounds interesting!"

"It really was!" Juniper looked around. "Where's Apollo?"

"Him? He went outside a little while ago. Why do you ask?"

"Oh…no reason…"

_As if the color of your cheeks weren't a dead giveaway! _"Junie. I can hear your emotions! You should just tell Apollo how you feel! Don't keep denying your feelings!"

"But…what if he doesn't feel the same?"

"Trust me. I'm sure he does feel the same way about you!"

"You think so?"

"I know so. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he went to the academy just so he could see you!"

"Really?! Oh, but I'm here. Maybe I should go back."

"No, no. Once he finds out, Apollo is going to come back here."

"Good. I…I actually have something I wanted to give him when we got together."

"Oh? What might that be?"

Juniper opened her backpack and pulled out a knit scarf that was red with pink hearts on it.

"Oh! The scarf you've been working on for so long! It's finally finished! This is so nice, Junie!"

"Really? Do you think he'll like it?"

"Apollo? I'm sure he will!" _Although…I'm not sure how fond Apollo is of the color pink, but I probably shouldn't say that. She did make it with love, didn't she? _Athena sighed. "It's so nice how the two of you have such a nice and easy relationship."

"What do you mean, Thena?"

"You guys can just admit your feelings to one another and not have to worry about what the other person will think of you or say." _Unlike some people…_

"You aren't…jealous, are you Thena?"

"Jealous of the two of you?! No, no! I'm happy for you guys! Really, I am! I just…"

_I wish I was in the same situation…_

"Oh…I know what this is all about."

Athena narrowed her eyes a little. _Uh oh. Did Widget just say something? No, she didn't. But then what is Junie saying? _"What do you mean?"

"This is about Mr. Blackquill, isn't it?"

"What about him?" Athena asked quickly. _Oh no! Is she onto me?!_

"Come on Thena! I'm your best friend! You can tell me how you feel!"

"How I feel? About him? You've got it all wrong, Junie!" Athena looked away. "Me? Like the Twisted Samurai? Ha!"

"Well, I guess you don't, huh?" Junie smiled. "But…if I do recall correctly, when we were younger, I once came to the space center, and you showed me a picture you drew."

"What picture?" _What is she talking about? I usually drew pictures of my Mom and the robots. Unless she means the picture I drew of…_

"Don't you remember? It was of Mr. Blackquill. And do you remember what you told me?" Athena shook her head, while she tried to remember what it was she had said to her childhood friend. "You promised me not to tell anyone else…about how you wanted to 'marry Simon.'"

_Shoot! She is onto me! _Athena's eyes widened, but Widget's pink display confirmed to Juniper that she was right. "I…I never said that!"

"Widget is blushing, Thena, and you know you did!"

"Hm…well, just because I said it then doesn't mean I feel the same way now!" She crossed her arms defiantly.

"Okay, I guess you may not want to marry him, but you can't deny that you feel something towards him."

Athena hesitated. "Even if I had said feelings for him, which I don't." _I so do. _"He's too busy with his work and improving his samurai skills to spend much time with me. Plus, he sees me as an annoying brat." _And to top it all off, he doesn't like me in that way…_

"Thena! I'm sure he doesn't see you as an annoying brat!"

"But Junie. Every time I got to his office, he's always talking about how I've come to relieve myself of my boredom. Like I have nothing else to do but bother him!"

"Well…then maybe you should show him how you don't always need to be with him."

"Hm…" Athena thought for a moment. "That's…a great idea! I've got it!" Athena stood up and started pacing back and forth. "If I hang out with another guy and not him, then he'll realize I don't need to be with him all the time and I can make him jealous!"

"Thena…that wasn't what I meant!" Unfortunately, Athena already had a plan brewing in her head.

_This should be perfect! I can't wait to see how the magpie will react! _(**AN: Athena got the nickname "Miss Baby Chick" I think it was in the DLC case, although Simon wasn't the one who came up with it, if I remember correctly, so I wanted her to have an animal nickname for Blackquill!)**

"The question is who am I supposed to be with? Who would Simon hate to see me with? I can't be with Apollo for obvious reasons." She winked at Juniper, who blushed a little.

"Thena. Haven't you learned anything from the romance stories? The heroine decides to make the guy she likes jealous, and what happens? Someone usually ends up getting hurt!"

"What other guys could I 'go out' with? Most of the guys I know are prosecutors and defense attorneys, and Simon tends to get along with most everyone."

"You aren't listening to me, are you Thena?" Juniper sighed. Raising her voice a little, she interrupted Athena's mumblings. "How about you think about that later and tell me about the case you're working on?"

"Hm? The case I'm… oh! Sure Junie!"

Athena filled Juniper in on the case.

"Who's prosecuting the case? Mr. Blackquill?"

"Nope. It's Prosecutor Gavin…AHA!"

Juniper jumped. "Wh…what is it, Thena?"

"I've got it! I know who Simon would absolutely despise to see me with!" Athena snapped her fingers in a familiar rhythm, eyes closed and head tilted.

"Oh no…Thena…" Juniper warned.

"It'll be great! I know for a fact that Simon is not fond of Prosecutor Gavin at all! This is perfect!"

"Not that I condone this one bit, I have to ask, Thena. Don't you need to ask Prosecutor Gavin to be a part of your plan?"

Athena frowned. "Oh…I kind of forgot about that."

"What if he doesn't want to go along with it?"

"I…didn't consider that either…I guess I'll have to go and ask him." Athena headed to the door.

"You're going to ask him…right now?!"

"Um, yeah! I can't procrastinate on this! You wanna come with me, Junie?"

"Er…No. I think I'll wait here for Apollo!"

"Alright then! But make sure you don't tell Apollo where I'm going. Unlike you, he'll tease me relentlessly if he was to find out what was going on."

"Um…okay Thena. Good luck!"

"Thanks! I'm going to need it! Now let's do this!"

The door shut to the agency, and Juniper sighed. "Thena," she said to the empty room, shaking her head, a smile on her face.

* * *

_Finally! I made it!_

Apollo opened the door.

"Juniper! I had just gone to the academy to visit you! How are you?"

"Apollo! I'm well, thank you! I was hoping you would be here!"

Apollo noticed the office was empty. "You haven't been sitting in here all by yourself, waiting for me, have you?"

"No, no. Thena was here, and we talked for a while. She left not too long ago."

"I see. I wonder what she's up to. Anyway. How did the lecture go?"

Again, Junie spoke about the lecture she attended at the school. "Wow Juniper! Sooner or later, you're going to be a judge! It's going to be great to be in court when you're at the judge's stand."

This earned Apollo a deep blush from Juniper. "Oh Apollo! Stop."

"It's true though! I know you're going to be a great judge!"

"I just want to be able to prevent another dark age of the law from coming up."

"Right. That's what I want too, and for the truth to always be revealed!"

They quieted down. "Um, Apollo? There's…something I wanted to…give you."

"Really? What is it? Another delicious fruit from your garden?"

"No…not a fruit. It isn't edible." Apollo watched as she pulled out a familiar red and pink object from her backpack.

"Hey! That's the scarf you've always been working on! You finally finished it! It looks amazing! I can imagine that it'll keep you nice and warm!"

_Hm. Why is she blushing?_

"That's why…I want you to have it." She held it out to him shyly.

"M…m…me? You want me to have it?"

She nodded. "Yes, I do."

"Th…thank you, Juniper." Apollo accepted the gift. _Wow. It's softer than it looks! But why is she giving it to me? _"But…why?"

Juniper frowned a little. "What do you mean, why?"

"Why are you giving this to me? Surely there's someone else who deserves it more than me."

Juniper's frown turned upside down (**AN: Do people write even write like that?!)**. "I can't think of anyone else besides you Apollo. You…you mean a lot to me."

Apollo could feel his face turn red. "You…you mean a lot to me too, Juniper." He set the scarf aside. "I…I wish I had something I could give you in return, Juniper, but sadly, I don't. Not right now anyways. That being said…there is something…I want to ask you." Apollo cleared his throat. "Juniper Woods. Will you be my girlfriend?!" Apollo yelled. _Darn it! I need to be careful with my Chords of Steel!_

"Apollo! I would love to be your girlfriend!" Juniper hugged him tightly, and he returned the hug.

He then pulled away. "You know? Maybe there is something I can give you right now."

"What's that?"

"If you don't mind, could I not call you Juniper? Instead, could I maybe…call you…sunflower?"

"Sunflower?"

"Yes, because I think sunflowers are so bright, cheerful, and beautiful. Just like you. And…" He tapped the sunflower that was in her hair. "You look so pretty with that sunflower in your hair."

"I'll accept that…if I can call you something in return."

"You can call me Polly. Trucy calls me that sometimes, but that's just because we're close. And now, you can call me that."

"I like it. Polly and Sunflower."

The new couple stared at each other and smiled.

* * *

"Fraulein Cykes. Such a flattering offer you make; however, I must reject, for I merely see you as just a good friend, and my rival, of course."

"Come on, Prosecutor Gavin! I really need you to do this for me!"

"I'm sorry to disappoint, Fraulein, but I can't. That is a request that I am unable and unwilling to fulfill."

"And why can't you do this one little thing for me? Is it because you're scared of Prosecutor Blackquill?"

Klavier frowned at the defense attorney. "I am not scared of Herr Blackquill. The only person I could really be scared of is Herr Ruffles."

_Herr Ruffles? Who is Herr Ruffles?! No! Focus Athena. Focus!_

"But with that fact aside, I could not possibly pursue a relationship with you. I mean, I don't even know you well enough to determine whether or not I would like to date you. No offense to you, Fraulein."

"I'm not offended…wait. Hold the phone. Let me make this very clear, in case it wasn't before. I'm not asking you to actually date me. I just want you to pretend to be dating me."

"Ah…now see that makes more sense, Fraulein. Why did you not just say so in the beginning?"

Athena waved her hands in the air. "But I did tell you that!"

Klavier leaned forward, hands on his hips. "Fraulein. You burst into my office yelling, 'Prosecutor Gavin! I need you to date me!'"

_Well. It isn't my fault that you automatically assumed from that statement that I wanted to date you…er…well, okay. So it is my fault, but as if I'm going to admit defeat to this guy! _

Klavier chortled. "Nonetheless, I am tempted by your offer. I assume that your main goal is to gain the affections of one of my fellow coworkers. Herr Blackquill, am I correct?"

_Oh. This guy's sharp, like one of Simon's katanas. _Athena's eyes widened as she looked to her side. _Did I just use Simon's swords in a metaphor? _Shaking her head, she looked back at Prosecutor Gavin. "Maybe…that could be the case."

He smirked a little. "So I gathered. But…my only question is…what's in it for me?"

_For you? What about you?_ "Um…you'll have the gratitude of a wonderful young defense attorney, that is, me?" _Please work, please work! _

"Somehow, as nice as that is, I'm not that satisfied."

_I should've known this wouldn't be easy. _"What is that you want? Do you…want something valuable? Like…say Widget?"

"Hey!" The electronic device called out, but Athena shushed her.

"No thank you, Fraulein."

"Or maybe you'd like a cool guitar?"

"My guitars are all the coolest compared to all of the other guitars that are in existence."

_My, my. Aren't we arrogant? I can sort of see how it's possible for Simon to not get along with this guy._

"You…don't want me to lose my case intentionally, do you?" Athena asked uneasily. "Because if you think I'm that desperate, I'm not!"

Klavier let out a hearty laugh. "Oh Fraulein! I cannot believe you would think I would sink to such a low level." He leaned against his desk. "I've made my choice. I'll help you."

Widget turned red and Athena growled. "How could you not help m…Wait." Athena stared at him, her fists still clenched. "Did…you just say you'll help me?"

"Yes…I did."

"With no strings attached?"

"No strings attached."

"Hm…okay then." She clasped her hands in front of her and smiled. "Thank you so much!" She hugged him briefly and released. She slammed her fist into her palm. "This is gonna be great!" She looked to Klavier, who was smiling. _I wonder why he actually decided to help me. Oh well…That's not important, now is it? _

"Okay then. I'll call you later so that we can plan out this whole thing." Athena walked to the door.

Before she walked out of the room, she stopped when Klavier spoke up. "I'll see you later, my dear little Fraulein."

"Excuse me?" She turned around, hands on her hips. "You can't call me…oh." She smiled sheepishly. "Right. We're…a couple now, aren't we?" She winked as she replied, "Auf Wiedersehen mein Freund!"

**I feel like the whole Juniper Apollo scene was fluffy, but hey! I personally think that they'd be very fluffy with each other! And Athena…*shakes head*. What to do with her? For the last line that Athena says, ****I used Google Translate for this, so if it's wrong, I'm sorry!**** Just a warning, the next chapter is going to be mostly about Edgeworth. I don't have any other parts planned for the moment, although that could change. Thanks for reading! Please feel free to leave a review and/or private message me! Sorry if I haven't responded to your review/PMs. I sometimes forget or get a little busy! **


	12. Ch 11: Turnabout Suspicion

**This chapter is all about Edgeworth and includes the OC too. I realized that I kind of need to get going the mystery part of the story. I have to admit…I'm not good with the whole investigation part of Ace Attorney, but I'm trying my best! I hope you do like it!**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!**_

Chapter 11 - Turnabout Suspicion

Edgeworth found himself once again standing at the front desk of the ER. He was waiting for someone to notice him standing there. His eyes went to look at his side, where another individual stood.

"You know, sir? Maybe we should knock on the door and see if someone opens it."

"No, no. That wouldn't do. We have to be patient. I'm sure someone should be here to help us out soon."

_However, it has been exactly five minutes since we got here. Just what kind of hospital is this?! _

Just then, the door opened and a little purple blur ran out.

"What was that?!"

"Not what. Who. It looks to be a child."

"Oh. Right. Um…sir?"

Edgeworth sighed. "Yes?"

"Would it be alright if I sat down in one of those chairs in the lobby? My feet are killing me!"

"Hmph. I suppose so. Go ahead. I'll call you when someone gets here."

"Thanks sir!" Edgeworth watched the detective sit down right in front of the TV and start watching it.

_His feet hurt, do they? I don't believe it could be because of the TV that's there that he wanted to sit down. _Edgeworth turned back around, looking through the window into the ER. _There's no one in here! This is unacceptable! What if there was a patient in dire need of care waiting out here?! They could have died by now! _

"Ladies and Gentlemen! It's been a long time since you've seen this television figure, but after eight years, he's back! That's right everyone! He's really coming back! The Steel Samurai!"

_Steel Samurai?! _Edgeworth whipped his head around and gave his full attention to the TV. _They're…they're going to bring it back?! Finally! After all this time! _

Just then, he felt something wrap around his leg. "Gagh!" He yelled out. Looking down, he saw something purple.

_Why…it's that little child who ran out of the ER! _

"Um…excuse me little girl? Would you mind please releasing my leg?"

The girl just stared at him. _Oh dear. Maybe she doesn't understand what I meant. _"Ahem. Little girl. Could you please remove your arms from my leg?"

She still stared at him. _That child's stare. Unwavering. No…no! I mustn't stare at a young child like that! It would be silly! _"Please. Let go of my leg!"

"Ariana? Where are you?" Another voice called out.

Edgeworth felt the girl's hands dig deeper into his leg. _Oh dear. This child seems to have sharp fingernails!_

The door opened, and another person was coming out. "Seriously. Would it really kill people to look after their kids?" The person then groaned. "And there's no one here at the front desk. What is this?! Can this day get any worse?!" The woman, who was clad in magenta scrubs looked around the lobby. "Aria-Oh! Mr. Edgeworth! What are you doing here?"

"I…came…to visit…"

Serena's eyebrows furrowed. "Are you okay?"

He pointed down. Her eyes went down, and they softened at the site. She slowly walked to him and kneeled down. "Ariana," she whispered.

The little girl hesitated for a moment, but then poked her head out from behind Edgeworth's leg.

"Are you okay?" The girl nodded. "Where were you trying to go?"

"B…back home."

"Home? But your mommy and daddy are inside the hospital! You can't leave without them, can you?"

"No…But…I'm scared of the hospital!"

Serena frowned. "Why are you scared?"

"The doctor…he's mean! And he told me that doctors like him give little kids like me shots, which hurt!"

"I can agree with you that shots do hurt, but doctors don't always give out shots. And not all doctors are mean, you know."

"They…aren't?"

Serena shook her head. "No. They aren't. I happen to be a doctor myself. Do I scare you?"

"…No."

Serena smiled once more. "I'm glad to hear that. Now come on." She held her arms out. "How about you let go of this nice man's leg, and I'll bring you back to your mommy and daddy, hm?"

The girl was reluctant, but she soon let go of Edgeworth's leg and walked into the doctor's arms. "Thatta girl! Now let's go, and on the way there, how about we make a stop at one of my favorite places?"

"What's that?"

"The sticker drawer!"

"Stickers?! I love stickers!"

Serena laughed. "I figured you would! Come on!" Serena stood up and addressed Edgeworth. "Are you here to investigate, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"What was that? Oh yes. I am."

"Okay. How about you follow me this way?" She motioned for him to follow.

"Detective. We have to go."

"Coming sir!"

"I hope you haven't been waiting too long out there. I apologize. Unfortunately, things got a little…chaotic."

"It's quite alright Ms. Sterling." _Because I'm not a patient, that is. _

"No, no. This…this isn't acceptable at all." Edgeworth didn't fail to notice her eyes looking at one green stethoscope with disdain. "But, I do have one task I need to complete before I can help you." Serena set the little girl down and opened the sticker drawer. "Alright Ariana! What kind of sticker would you like?"

"Mm…I want the one with the ponies on it!"

Edgeworth wasn't watching; however, he did notice the detective staring intently at the sticker drawer. _Hm. Could it be that he would like a sticker from that drawer? Well, it is him after all. It wouldn't come to be a shock if that was the case._

Serena picked out three pony stickers and gave the strip to girl.

"Thank you, miss!"

"You're very welcome! Now, here's your mommy and daddy's room." She opened one of the doors nearby and stepped in. After a minute, she walked out and shut the door.

"Okay then. I guess we should head back to the crime scene, right?"

"Mr. Edgeworth. I'll be right back. I need to go get him out of the car."

"Right. You go do that, detective."

Edgeworth followed the doctor down the familiar hall.

"Who was that person with you, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Oh, him? That was Detective Gumshoe. He's not assigned to this case, but he's helping me out."

"I don't think I've met him before. So…according to police reports, there's no new information, is there?"

"No, there isn't, which is why I wanted to come back and investigate one more time."

"No problem. I'll be glad to help. It just so happens that I'm not working here today. I'm just supervising, so I'll be happy to assist when I can."

"That sounds good, Ms. Sterling. I appreciate your cooperation." _But she still isn't willing to let me take a look around the scene by myself…Hm. Rather odd. _Just as she was unlocking the office door, he heard a familiar noise.

She turned around rather quickly and searched the hallway. "What…what was that?"

"That's Missile."

"Missile?!"

"He's a police dog. He's going to help Detective Gumshoe by sniffing the crime scene." He paused, seeing her facial expression change to one of discontent. "Let me make a far-fetched conjecture. There's a no animal policy here, isn't there?"

"Funny." She replied, almost sarcastically. "Cats aren't allowed here, since a lot of people have allergies to their dander. Dogs, on the other hand, are allowed as long as they're supervised and have a specific purpose they serve, such as a guide dog or a security dog, and in this case…" She stopped for a moment and added reluctantly. "A police dog."

"I'm glad that won't be an issue then."

Just then Gumshoe came, holding Missile's leash. The dog barked at Serena, who took a few steps back.

"Detective. Good timing. You can join Ms. Sterling and me in our investigation."

"Alright sir! Missile is ready to get to work!" The dog was still barking at Serena.

"Ahem. Actually, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea if the two of you were the ones to investigate."

"But I thought you wanted to help out and supervise the investigation?"

"I...I think I can trust you to do that on your own, Mr. Edgeworth. There really isn't any need for me to be there. I'd only get in the way. Please. Do go on without me."

"Where will you be if we have something to ask you?"

"Me? Oh, I'll be around here. Don't worry. Just call out if you need something." She nodded her head and walked around the corner, clutching her clipboard tightly to her chest.

"Hm. That was a rather odd turn of events. Nevertheless, we have an investigation to complete! Come on Detective, Missile."

They entered the office and began looking around. _Seems like nothing has changed since I was last here. _Edgeworth walked over to the white outline of the body. He pulled out his organizer. "According to the autopsy report, the man murdered here was one Mr. Neville Manco, and he was stabbed." Edgeworth looked down at the outline. "But there was no pool of blood, nor was the murder weapon found."

"So that means that this isn't where the murder occurred, is it?"

"Correct." Edgeworth looked at Missile. "I want you to have Missile sniff the location of the body and see where he brings you."

Gumshoe saluted. "I got it, sir!" He called to Missile. "Missile. Sniff this." Missile immediately sniffed the outline, and he began sniffing the ground. He walked out of the office, with Gumshoe following him.

"Call me if you find anything, Detective."

"I will sir!"

"Hm…The question I need an answer to is if the murder didn't occur here, then why was the body found here? Why would someone move it? Could it be so that they could frame Ms. Sterling?" _That would be the easiest answer; however…couldn't it also be possible that maybe the body could've been left here so it looks like someone was framing her? Then, she would be dismissed as being a potential suspect. Hm…_ He got distracted when he heard a commotion in the hallway outside.

"Sterling! What are you doing?! Didn't I tell you that you've got to supervise those investigators at the crime scene?"

"Sir, I'm sorry! I know that's what you wanted, but there was someone at the front desk that needed to be seen! I couldn't just let them wait there!"

"Yes, you could! You imbecile!"

Edgeworth exited the office and went around the corner to see Ms. Sterling speaking to another man. He was considerably taller than her and had a rather buff form. He was wearing a white coat over his button-down black shirt and blue jeans, and a green stethoscope was around his neck. _What a rude man, addressing a lady in such a way. Although, I have been known to have done the same in my past…but I've reformed myself!_

Serena sighed. "Sir. I apologize for my actions. I just wanted to help them out. There's no one at the front desk to help them check in or even provide some basic assistance."

"So? There are more important people here to look after, Sterling! We've got to take care of them. Young little doctors like you wouldn't understand that though."

"All I'm saying, Sir, is that there should be someone at the desk to help those people who come here. After all, we're here to serve everyone, whether they're in the community or from somewhere else."

"Oh, will you just shut up?! What do you know? You haven't been in this business as long as I have been. You better watch it Sterling, or you can kiss your job here goodbye!"

The man stomped away. Serena ran a hand through her hair and sighed heavily, shaking her head. She leaned against the wall.

"Ahem. Ms. Sterling?" Her attention shifted to Edgeworth.

She brightened up a little. "Hi. Is there something you need help with?"

"Yes…I was hoping that you could explain a few things for me in your office."

"Sure." She began walking towards the office, when she stopped. "Um…where's the police dog?"

"Detective Gumshoe is taking him around the hospital."

"Oh…That's good."

"So…you were the one who found the body, correct?"

"Yes…I did. I came into work early that morning. I'm usually the first one here, so I unlock all of the doors that need to be unlocked, look around the floor to make sure there isn't anything wrong, the normal things."

"And when did you find the body?"

"It was…about 6:15. I was past my office, when I smelled something…all too familiar. I debated on whether I should've just called the police right then and there, but I decided I should take a look for myself before I called them. I opened the door, and…I saw the body there. He was lying face up…and his eyes were still open. I got a pair of gloves on and checked to see if he was okay…but he was already gone, so I called 911."

"I see…And the alibi you gave the police was that you were at the front desk at the estimated time of death."

She nodded. "That's right."

"Did you notice anything odd or out of place in your office?"

"Not particularly. Everything seemed to be in its place, but then again, I was a bit too preoccupied with everything that was going on to notice."

"Right. Hopefully, Detective Gumshoe will have some answers." Edgeworth put away his organizer. "By the way Ms. Sterling. Who was that man you were speaking to not too long ago?"

"That was…my boss. Ed Oncho. He's the head of the emergency department."

"Objection!"

Serena stared at Edgeworth's pointed finger, and then looked up at him. "Um…yes?"

"Sorry." Edgeworth recoiled his hand. "Force of habit. I thought you were head of the emergency department, Ms. Sterling."

Gumshoe came in, this time without Missile. "Detective! Did you find anything?"

"Missile…didn't really find much."

"What do you mean?"

"He…sort of sniffed his way to the cafeteria and wanted something to eat."

_That dog…it seems all it wants to do is eat. This is not good. _Edgeworth sighed.

"Sorry sir."

"It's alright, Detective. I should've anticipated this. Anyway, Ms. Sterling. Please continue."

"Technically, I am head of the emergency department here, at this clinic. However, as you know, this clinic is a satellite of the main hospital, and Ed Oncho, he's the head of the emergency department there, which automatically makes him head of the emergency department here. It's complicated. Basically, I'm kind of in charge here when he's not around, but when all is said and done, he's the real boss. Every ER doctor employed by the hospital, including myself, works under him."

"I see. That is quite a peculiar arrangement."

"I guess it does make sense, in a way. He rarely comes to work here, and I pretty much only work here. I don't go to the main hospital often, so they asked me one day if I could take care of things here…and I couldn't really reject the offer."

"Why couldn't you reject it pal? Did they threaten you?" Gumshoe added.

"Oh goodness no! Nothing of the sort! Being head of the department…has its certain perks."

_The way she said that…it doesn't sound like a good thing. _

"Namely, I get to stay here much longer than I usually could if I was just another doctor working here."

"Wait. You actually like being in a hospital all the time?!" Gumshoe asked.

She nodded. "I do, as weird as that may seem. Mind you, I don't like it because people come here sick or injured. Rather, I like being able to send them off having made some kind of improvement in their lives."

"Wow. That's so nice. How long have you been a doctor?"

"Me? It's been…about…almost eight years."

"That sure is a long time!"

She waved her hand. "It's not that long, really."

"You must enjoy your job, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. I love what I do."

"Ahem. Detective. We're getting distracted. I'm sorry to interrupt the conversation, Ms. Sterling."

"That's fine. You're here to investigate! I was just curious. A suspect was arrested for the murder, right? Why did the police arrest him?"

"Detective Gumshoe? Care to explain?"

"The boys found a guy named Owen Moore in the woods near here, and…it just so happens that he had the victim's blood on his hands."

"Owen Moore?! He was arrested?!"

"Do you know him, Ms. Sterling?"

"Of course I do! He's one of our security guards! He's such a nice guy. A bit on the quiet side." She crossed her arms and her brows furrowed. "I can't imagine him murdering someone…" She shook her head.

"Did you know the victim, Ms. Sterling?"

"The victim?"

"Yes. Mr. Neville Manco?" Edgeworth watched her expression carefully.

"I…I can't say I know him personally."

_Her face registered recognition…and something else. She does seem to know him…in some way, shape or form. _

Before he could question her further, they heard a beeping noise. Serena reached into her pocket and pulled out a black device. "Hi. Serena here."

"Serena! We just got a major case that came in, and there's not a single doctor available!"

"What?! You mean to tell me there isn't a single doctor who's free down there? What about Dr. Oncho? He doesn't have any patients!"

"He took one look at the patient and walked off into one of the rooms."

"Good grief. Hold on. I'll be right there." She threw the device into her pocket and grabbed her pink stethoscope from off the desk. "I'm sorry, but I really need to go help."

"Of course Ms. Sterling. Good luck."

"Thanks." The two men had followed her out of the room, and they watched as she began sprinting down the hall. Out of one of the rooms came Mr. Oncho, and Serena had collided into him.

He hollered. "Hey! What's the big idea, Sterling?!"

Serena quickly got on her feet and ran off. Turning around, she called out, "Sorry sir, but there's an emergency!"

"What an idiot!" He said to himself as he walked into another room.

"So Sir. What do we do now?"

"I'll be handing the investigation back to Franziska. I needed to have her look into something for me today, which is why I came here myself."

"Well sir. It was really nice to get to work with you, just like the good ol' times."

Edgeworth smirked. "Hmph. I suppose you're right. Come on. I need to get back to the office and settle a few issues."

**Some of those names…maybe you realized that I was trying to stay true to Ace Attorney and make some name puns (although I probably failed…miserably…)! Also, another warning…the next chapter includes Edgeworth too, along with Blackquill and Klavier. They're probably a slight bit boring to be honest, but I kind of need to include it in the story. Anyway, the next chapter should be up now! Thanks for reading! Please feel free to leave a review and/or private message. **


	13. Ch 12: Turnabout Continued

**More Edgeworth here! Sorry (not sorry)! He _is _one of my favorite characters in the series after all!**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!**_

Chapter 12 – Turnabout Continued

Edgeworth was sitting in his office, pondering the recent investigation.

_Ms. Sterling. She acted quite suspicious around Missile today. I wonder if she's hiding something. If Missile were to get too close to her, he could possibly smell something. Could...she be involved in the murder somehow? It wouldn't be a surprise. There's something about her…something that doesn't settle right with me somehow. Not to mention that she somehow seemed to know of the victim. Just what did she mean when she said she didn't know him personally? Hm... I shouldn't worry about this. Franziska can take care of it. I have more pressing matters to look into. _

Edgeworth was in deep thought when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in."

In walked two of his subordinates, Simon Blackquill and Klavier Gavin.

"Ah. Mr. Blackquill, Mr. Gavin. You got my message." Blackquill bowed politely while Klavier nodded. "How are your investigations going?"

"Quite well, Chief Prosecutor. I've determined that whoever it was that committed the murder...they had some kind of inner dealings with the restaurant owner. It seems to be that he had a hidden agenda."

"Hm...I see. And you, Prosecutor Gavin? What about you?"

"Ah, my investigation? It's going quite well. Fraulein Cykes and I had gone to the scene of the crime a couple of times to investigate. Although there were a couple of...obstacles...in the way."

"Obstacles? Perhaps you mean Detective Skye?" _Oh, I know exactly what you speak of…_

"Fraulein Detective? Yes, she's definitely an obstacle, but not an unexpected one."

Edgeworth saw Klavier look at Blackquill, a smile on his face. _What's this? I sense some tension between the two..._

Simon completely ignored what Klavier said. He stood with his arms crossed.

"Sounds like the two of you have things under control. Mr. Gavin, you're free to go."

"Thank you Herr Edgeworth. Now will be the perfect time to setup a date with my dear Fraulein."

_Dear Fraulein...No. I shouldn't ask. I probably don't want to know._

Klavier left, leaving Simon and Edgeworth in the room.

Edgeworth leaned back in his chair. "So you took a look around the crime scene at the jewelry store, did you?"

Simon had a guilty look on his face. "Forgive me, Chief Prosecutor. I...I went because Cyles-dono was investigating that case. I was...curious."

"Right. And I heard a certain friend of yours attacked Mr. Gavin, correct?"

"About that, Taka...I apologize for his behavior. He doesn't take well to strangers, especially those who play air guitar randomly." Simon added.

A corner of Edgeworth's mouth lifted. "Ah, well. Please do see to it that it doesn't happen again. It wouldn't do well for coworkers to not get along with one another."

"I understand, sir."

"And as for joining Ms. Cykes on the investigation, I don't mind that it happened, but...it would be preferred if you avoided making a habit out of it." Edgeworth thought of something. "Ms. Cykes comes to visit you often, doesn't she? Do you find it disruptive to your work?"

Simon considered the question. "She can be a bit annoying at times…"

"I could always speak to Wright and have him tell Miss Cykes to limit her visiti…"

"No!" Edgeworth was taken aback. "I mean…ahem. Please excuse my outburst. That…won't be necessary, Chief Prosecutor."

Edgeworth's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

"Positive sir."

"If you say so, but don't forget that the offer still stands. Anyway, that's all I had to say. You may go."

Simon bowed, and headed towards the door; instead of leaving though, he turned around. "Um… Chief Prosecutor?"

Edgeworth looked up from his desk. "Yes?"

"There was...something I noticed when I was investigating the jewelry store with Cykes-dono. Or rather, something she observed, but she didn't really think it was relevant with her case."

"What about it, Blackquill?"

"I have this feeling that it might have something to do with...the investigation you're currently focusing on, Chief Prosecutor."

Edgeworth's eyes widened. "Please. Sit down and tell me about it," he urged.

* * *

That night, Edgeworth got home late. After greeting Pess at the door, he walked into his home and hung up his coat in the entryway. He reached into his pocket to pull out his badge.

"That's odd. It's…it's not here." Edgeworth looked into the pocket to see that it was indeed empty. "Maybe I put it in another pocket."

Needless to say, Edgeworth spent 20 minutes looking through his coat and his suitcase.

"How careless of me! How could I lose the proof of my profession?!" He felt a warm presence near his leg. He bent down and petted his golden retriever. "Oh Pess. Can you believe how stupid it is that I lost my badge?! Who knows where it could've gone!"

Just then, the doorbell rang. Edgeworth's eyes went to the clock on the wall. "Nine o'clock. Who would come to visit me at this late an hour?"

He slowly walked to the door and opened it. Standing outside, donned in magenta scrubs, was Serena Sterling.

"M…Ms. Sterling! What are you doing here?!"

"Mr. Edgeworth. Hi. I came to bring you something." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a familiar pin.

"My badge!" Edgeworth exclaimed, forgetting to keep his voice leveled. "Where did you find it?"

"It was on my desk in my office. I found it just before I left from work. I figured it belonged to you, so I asked around a little and found out where you live. I hope you don't mind I came here. I thought it wouldn't be such a good idea to keep it for too long."

"You have my gratitude, Ms. Sterling." He accepted the pin, and checked to make sure the number written on the back was his, and it was. "You…didn't tell anyone else about this, did you?"

She smiled knowingly. "I only inquired about where you lived. I didn't tell anyone about your badge."

_What a relief. _ "You…won't tell anyone about this, will you?"

"My lips are sealed. As far as I know, you never dropped your badge."

"I truly am grateful Ms. Sterling." He stepped aside. "Won't you please come in for a moment?"

"Um…uh…well…" She tugged at her hair.

"Perhaps we could have a cup of tea?" _And maybe I could find out whether or not there is a way to connect you to the crime somehow. _

"I…guess I…don't see why not." She took a step forward, but her eyes widened and her face turned as white as a sheet of paper.

"Is…something wrong, Ms. Sterling?"

"You know? On second thought, as nice as that offer is, Mr. Edgeworth, I'm afraid I'll have to decline. It's already quite late, and I really should be getting home. Thank you for the kind offer though. Maybe another time."

"Are you sure?" _She's acting rather odd…again. _

"Oh yes. I'm completely sure. Goodbye!" She rushed off towards the street and disappeared into the dark night.

Edgeworth shut the door. "What a strange woman." Pess had been standing a little ways behind him. He turned to look at her. "You seem to be confused too, Pess." He held up his badge. "But the important thing is that I've got my badge back and no one knows that I lost it." Pess barked happily.

**Never fear, my dear readers! Our other characters are going to be back in the next chapter, for sure! Sorry if I bored you guys with Edgeworth and the OC (although this story was originally only supposed to be focusing on him and the OC). Feel free to leave a review or private message me! Thanks!**


	14. Ch 13: Turnabout Happenings

**You know what gets really annoying? When you have the second to last chapter of the story pretty much completely written, but you're nowhere near that point in the story you have posted online. Gr… This chapter was kind of hard in that I had no idea where to start off and what/who to include in it! Anyway, here's the next chapter! Sorry this is so late!**

**__****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!**

Chapter 13 - Turnabout Happenings (**AN: I couldn't come up with a good name for this one!**)

Simon sat in his office, poring over papers for his investigation. He heard a knock on his door. "Come in." His head still down, he smirked. "Cykes-dono. Must you constantly come into my office so frequently?"

Snap!

Simon's eyes went up. "You fool! Do I look like a foolish defense attorney to you?!"

He snorted. "Do you seek an answer to that question, Karma-dono?"

"Hmph. I came here to speak with you about your investigation; however, you're obviously too busy thinking about that little girl. Besides, I thought she had already come by here."

"Who? Cykes-dono? No, she didn't. Did you happen to see her?" _Was she really here? No. Of course not. Knowing her, she would've come to see me. _

"Hmph. Yes. I saw heading towards Mr. Gavin's office."

_What business would she have with him?! Unless she went to speak to him about the investigation. But still...she isn't one to do that. She would just wait to see him at the crime scene. I'm thinking too hard about this._

Snap! Simon's attention went back to Franziska. "Sorry. Were you saying something?"

"Fool! How dare you not listen to me when I'm talking?! Especially about a serious matter at hand!"

"My apologies, Karma-dono. Please. Tell me what it is that you have to say."

_I'll have to leave that matter for later._

* * *

"Hey Pearl. I have a question?"

"Yes Trucy?"

The two girls were walking around People Park on a Saturday afternoon.

"You know that lady, Iris?"

Pearl tensed a little, and Trucy mentally took note of this. "Yes. What about her?"

"Does Daddy know her or something? He's been acting weird every time I happen to bring her up."

_When I mentioned how I saw her and Pearl here at the park a few days ago, his eyes…they became so…distant. What exactly happened between the two of them? _

Pearl hesitated. "I'm not sure I should be telling you this."

"Come on Pearl! We're like sisters! We've got to share gossip and secrets with each other!"

Pearl smiled. "I can see your point there. According to what Mystic Maya told me a while ago, Mr. Nick and Sister Iris...they were..." Pearl placed her hands on her cheeks. "Special someones."

"Special someones?!" Trucy got excited, but she realized something. "You said they 'were' special someones, so what happened?"

Pearl was quiet for a moment, debating whether or not she really should tell Trucy about the case so many years ago, about her step-sisters and mother. "Trucy. I'll tell you everything I know, but you have to promise that you won't tell anyone else, especially Mr. Nick, unless you absolutely have to."

"I promise."

Pearl saw a bench nearby. "Come on, let's sit there, and I'll tell you all about it."

Pearl spent a good hour explaining the complex story about the Kurain Channeling Technique, the whole situation with her mother, Morgan Fey, not being the Master of Kurain, the scandal that fell upon Misty Fey, and everything else. She finally ended by telling Trucy about how Iris was her half-sister, and how Iris pretended to be Dahlia and dated Phoenix in college.

"Whoa. That's…a lot to swallow."

Pearl nodded. "I imagine Mr. Nick didn't tell you because he probably didn't want to talk about it."

Trucy nodded. "Poor Daddy. I didn't know that that happened when he was in college. Maybe that's why he doesn't date anyone. He must have trust issues."

"Actually Trucy, I think there maybe something else, something more to it than that."

"What is it?"

"I wonder…if Mr. Nick…still has feelings for Iris."

"Hm..." Trucy tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder if you're right." Trucy then smiled. "I have an idea! We should try to get them back together!"

Pearl bit her thumb. "I don't know Trucy. What if Mr. Nick doesn't want that?"

Trucy waved her hand through the air. "Don't worry! I think I can figure this out somehow, and I could get Apollo and Athena to help me out….Er…Maybe not Apollo, but definitely Athena!"

"I'm still not sure if it's such a good idea, Trucy."

"Come on Pearl! Maybe this is my big chance to make Daddy happy! Not to mention," Trucy held her magician's hat. "Maybe Iris could be my new mommy!"

Pearl shook her head, but smiled. "Maybe you shouldn't go as far as to say new mommy, Trucy." Her face turned serious. "First, you have to get them together."

"You're right! That's the first task at hand!" Trucy stood up, and then turned around. She bounced happily. "You'll help me, won't you Pearl?"

Pearl was inspired by Trucy's enthusiasm, and she nodded her head. "Of course I will!" She pulled up her sleeve, a determined look in her face. "We must reunite Mr. Nick with his special someone!"

* * *

_Man! Where is he?! It's like I totally wasted my time going to his office this morning to remind him what time we said we were going to meet up here!_

Athena tapped her foot impatiently as she stood in front of the entrance to People Park with her arms crossed. She checked her phone to see what time it was. _He's over ten minutes late!_

"Hello Fraulein Cykes."

Athena turned around and nearly pounced the prosecutor. "What took you so long?! You're ten minutes late!"

"Now, now, Fraulein Cykes. There's no need to get all upset, ja? The important thing is that I'm here now."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now come on. Let's go inside and continue our investigation."

She walked through the archway and headed towards the map of the Park. She faced Prosecutor Gavin. "Alright. How about we start with a rundown of what we already know and what we need to find out today?"

Prosecutor Gavin sighed. "You know, Fraulein? You're being quite bossy. The least you could do is tone it down a bit. I am after all your 'boyfriend,' am I not?"

"Gr…"

He held his hand up defensively, a teasing smile on his face. "Hey. I'm not doing this for myself, Fraulein. You're the one who begged me to participate in this charade. You should try to keep up with your part."

_Calm down, Athena. He's right. You need to make sure you convince everyone that you and Prosecutor Gavin are an item._

"Fine, fine. Come on…honey," she replied through gritted teeth. "Let's just go and investigate. We can talk about the case after that."

"Better, but if you keep fooling around, I'll just tell everyone about this whole thing."

"Okay, okay. I'll play nice. Now seriously. Come on. We need to go to the area where the police found and arrested my client."

They walked silently. There weren't many people in the park, which Athena found rather surprising, given it was a pretty nice day outside, and it was a Saturday.

_Wouldn't it be nice if I could come here and have a picnic with Simon? He needs to let loose! Sitting all cooped up in his office all the time. _Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard someone whistling close by. She shot a sideways glance at Prosecutor Gavin. He had his eyes closed and was whistling the tune of "Guilty Love."

"Hey. That's one of the songs from your band, right?"

He opened his eyes and nodded. "Guilty Love. It was a major hit. You've heard the song, ja?"

"Trucy has all of your albums, and she played some of them once at the agency, so yeah, I did hear it."

"What do you think? You like our music?" He smiled.

"You…weren't bad."

"Oh? But were we not good?"

"I didn't necessarily say that."

"But that's what you seemed to be suggesting."

"Ugh. No I wasn't, okay? Gosh, you're annoying!"

"You get angry rather quickly, don't you Fraulein?"

"Excuse me? I'll have you know that I do not get upset that quickly!"

Klavier pulled at a lock of his hair and grinned. "Fraulein, I didn't mean that in a bad way. Getting fired up quickly…can be a rather attractive quality in a girl."

Athena's eyes widened as she looked over at her "boyfriend." _Is…is he flirting with me? Is this part of the charade, or is this real?_

"Hey! Prosecutor Gavin!" A young voice called out.

Athena looked up ahead. "Oh hey, look! It's Trucy and Pearl!" She ran up to the two girls, and Klavier followed her.

"Athena! What are you doing here?" Trucy asked.

"I'm here investigating for my case. What are you two doing here?"

"We just came here to hang out. Would it be alright if we joined you?"

"I don't see why not!"

Pearl cut in. "I wish I could come along, but I actually need to go meet with Iris now. I'll see you later!" Pearl bowed politely and ran off.

"So Prosecutor Gavin! How have you been? It's been a while since I've seen you!"

"Ah, that's true, Fraulein. I have been doing quite well, thank you. I'm actually doing better nowadays than before."

Trucy tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"How about you tell her, Athena?"

_Did he just call me Athena? But he usually calls me Fraulein Cykes! And what does he want me to…oh._

* * *

_The PIC (_**AN: Prosecutorial Inspection Committee**_) has done all their background checks, and everything seems to be fine. I guess I better make the call then._

Edgeworth picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?"

"Ah yes. Is this Mrs..."

"Yes, this is she."

"This is Miles Edgeworth. I was calling to let you know that the Prosecutor's Office of Los Angeles would like to hire you. According to our committee members, your records are quite remarkable, and we would be privileged to have a prosecutor such as yourself working here for us."

"Why thank you Mr. Edgeworth! You'll be happy to know that I would love to come work there at the Prosecutor's Office!"

"Good. When are planning to start your first day?"

"How about next week?"

"Alright then. I look forward to meeting you then. Have a nice day."

"You too, Mr. Edgeworth! Thank you!"

He hung up the phone.

* * *

Phoenix stepped outside of the Wright Anything Agency building onto the sidewalk. _If I were Trucy, where would I go? I forgot where she and Pearl said they'd be going. _

He turned around, only to bump into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry. Serena!"

He was face-to-face with his former client. "Hello Mr. Wright. How are you?"

"I'm doing well. How about you?"

"I'm alright, thank you."

"I heard about the whole murder at the clinic. How's everything going?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "It's been quite difficult to be honest, but we've been managing."

"I hope Apollo's investigating isn't getting in the way."

She waved her hand. "Of course not. He's fine. It's just everything else, that's all."

"So what are you doing out and about?"

"Me? I needed to run an errand or two before I head to work."

Just then, two other people were coming towards them. Phoenix's eyes widened.

"Hello Mr. Nick!"

"Hello Pearl." Phoenix saw Pearl and Iris look at Serena, who stood there quietly. "Oh! Let me introduce you guys. Pearl, Iris. This is Serena Sterling. She's a doctor at the ER and a good friend. And Serena, this is Pearl and Iris Fey."

Serena smiled. "It's very nice to meet you."

Iris and Pearl bowed politely. "It's nice to meet you too, Dr. Sterling."

"Please. Call me Serena."

"Would it be alright if I called you Ms. Serena? It just wouldn't do for me to address by just your first name?"

"What a polite young lady you are! Of course! That's alright with me." Serena looked at her watch. "Oh no. I have to get going." She once again smiled at the two ladies. "It was very nice to meet you two! I hope to see you sometime soon." She turned to Phoenix. "I'll see you later too, Mr. Wright. Bye." She walked away.

"So she's a friend of yours, Mr. Nick?"

"Yes, she is. I actually represented her a few months ago when she got caught in the middle of a murder trial. She's a nice person."

"Hm. Oh! Were you going out somewhere, Mr. Nick?"

"I was actually going to find you and Trucy. Where is Trucy anyway?"

"She's still at the park with Athena and Mr. Gavin."

"Oh, I see. I better go get her then."

"Wait! Mr. Nick!" Pearl grabbed his sleeve.

"Yes Pearls?"

"I have something I really need to do, Mr. Nick, and Iris doesn't have anyone to be with. Would you mind if she came with you to the park?"

_What is it that Pearls has to do? And why can't she bring her? Oh boy. _

"She could stay here at the agency until you get back."

"Mr. Nick!" Pearl reprimanded. "You can't leave a lady all alone like that!"

_Uh oh. Pearls is glaring at me. If I don't agree to this, I'm guaranteed to get slapped by her. _

"Right. I was only kidding. Sure."

Pearls clapped her hands. "Yay! I'll see you later, Iris! Thank you Mr. Nick!"

With that, Pearls walked away. Phoenix and Iris stood facing each other, but their heads were turned away. _Well…this isn't totally awkward. _

Phoenix cleared his throat. "We should…get to the park." Iris only nodded. They walked side-by-side at least a foot apart.

_Why did I agree to this?! Being slapped by Pearls would've been more sufferable than this! _He gazed over at Iris, who had her head down. _She hasn't changed much. She still looks the same. I don't even think she's aged. _He looked straight ahead. _I can't imagine what she must think when she sees me. I'm sure I've aged these past eight years._

"Um…Mr. Wright?" A timid voice spoke up.

Phoenix shook himself out of his thoughts and looked beside him. "What is it?"

She pointed up. "The light…it's red."

Phoenix saw the light for the crosswalk. "Oh…right."

They waited for the light to turn green to cross the street. They finally found themselves at the entrance to People Park.

"Maybe we should go this way," he pointed to the right. "There's this picnic area with benches where Trucy likes to sit."

Iris quietly stayed by Phoenix's side. _I should talk to her. I don't want to seem rude. _

"So when are you going to go back to Hazakura temple?" _Ack! I should've just kept my mouth shut! That was such a bad question!_

She didn't seem to mind it much, though. "I'm…not exactly sure yet. I was…thinking of staying here for a while and take some classes at a local college, to further my education."

"What about your work at the temple?"

"Sister Bikini has some new trainees there who are helping her, and it was her suggestion that I come out here and take some classes."

"Oh. So…where are you going to stay while you're here?"

"Well, Mystic Maya, Pearl and I have been staying at Mia's old apartment, and Mystic Maya said she'd be more than happy to have me stay there. Pearl will be with me too until she leaves next week."

"Pearls is leaving next week?"

"Yeah. Her vacation would've ended by then."

Phoenix nodded, and silence fell over them. "Mr. Wright…"

"You…you can call me, Phoenix. There's no need for the formalities."

Iris stared at him with wide eyes before she turned away. "Alright…Phoenix. I…"

"Daddy!"

* * *

Athena saw Trucy looking at her expectantly. _He doesn't actually expect me to tell her that, does he? _Klavier had a playful grin on his face, and his eyebrows went up.

"Um…Prosecutor Gavin and I are…"

"Look! There's Daddy! Daddy!" Trucy waved her arms in the air.

_What a relief! I'm saved! Thank you Mr. Wright! _Athena's eyes went in the direction Trucy was looking, and her eyes widened. _Isn't that Iris? What are she and Mr. Wright doing together? Hm…_

The two adults were now standing with the trio. "Hey Boss! What are you doing here?"

"I just came here to find Trucy." He turned to Trucy. "Pearls told me you were here in the park with Athena and Prosecutor Gavin." Phoenix nodded at Klavier. "Hello Prosecutor Gavin."

"Hello Herr Wright. You're just in time to find out what Athena was going to say to Fraulein here."

Athena resisted the urge to send a death glare at Klavier. _He just had to bring it up, didn't he?! _

"That's right!" What were you going to say, Athena?"

All eyes were on her. "I…well…you see…"

Klavier let out a hearty laugh. "It appears that Athena is feeling a little shy, so maybe I'll speak for her. Ahem. Athena and I are dating."

"What?!" Phoenix and Trucy exclaimed. "Is it true, Athena?!"

Athena hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. "Yeah…it's…true."

"But…but…but…what about…"

Phoenix stopped Trucy from finishing the question. "Um…well. I guess, all we can say is that we're…very happy for the two of you. Right Trucy?"

Trucy gave Mr. Wright an odd look before she faced Klavier and Athena. "Yeah…yeah. We're…um…very happy for you. That's right."

_Trucy…she must be able to tell that I'm lying. Maybe I could tell her about my plan later. _

"So...Iris. What are you doing here?" Athena asked, hoping to move away from the subject.

"Oh. I was just accompanying Mr. Wright…I mean, Phoenix. Pearl had to go do something, and she didn't want me to be alone."

_I sense that she feels happy and worried. I wonder what she's worried about. _

"Well Athena. We really should be going to check out the crime scene."

Athena nodded her head. "That's right. I'll see you guys soon." She followed Klavier. Once they were a good distance away, Athena scowled at Klavier.

"What was that all about?! Was it really necessary to tell them about our apparently 'dating' each other?!"

"Of course it was. The more people who think we're a couple, the more believable it will be. You do want this whole act to seem authentic, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but…" _The only person I want to convince is Simon. _

"But right now, the charade aside, we need to focus on the investigation and try to uncover the truth of what actually happened the night of the murder," Klavier spoke firmly.

_Finally, he's being serious. Thank you for dropping it. _

"We have plenty of time to work on getting this whole performance down, anyway."

_I jinxed myself._

* * *

"How many times have I told you that I don't want you to come here anymore?!" A rough voice yelled.

"You may not want me to come here, but I want to see you, so whether you like it or not, I'm going to keep coming here and visiting you."

"Don't be so stubborn."

"Funny. I could say the same to you." The person sighed. "How are you doing?" No response. "You seem to be in your normal mood." Still, no response. "You aren't going to talk to me, are you?" The answer was silence. "Then here's something that should be of interest to you. There've been a lot of murders taking place lately. These names ring a bell to you?"

"What…"

**I wish I could've gotten this out earlier, but as I said in the beginning, I had a major hard time writing up this chapter, but eventually, it all came to me! I hope you liked it! I can't say the next chapter will be up soon, but I'll try my best to get started on it! Please feel free to review or private message me. Thanks! And welcome to the new followers! **


	15. Ch 14: Turnabout Trial

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 14 – Turnabout Trial

A few days later…

On Tuesday afternoon, at the office, Athena was working diligently at her desk when a familiar face came in.

"Apollo! Where've you been?"

"I've been out investigating, but I have a question for you Athena. Are you and Prosecutor Gavin really going out?"

"Thanks. I'm doing real well too. I appreciate your asking."

Apollo rolled his eyes. "That's not the point! You didn't answer my question! You guys aren't actually…dating, are you?"

"Well…um…I guess you could say that." _Ugh. I really don't want to talk about it, Apollo. I need to talk about something else. _"Hey! What happened to your hair?"

"My hair? Oh, my hair." Apollo looked away. "I'm still trying to get over that."

"What do you mean?" _I'm hearing sadness and anger in his voice. _

"You know? I have every reason to blame you for this!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What did I do? I know better than to mess with your hair. Especially after that April Fool's Day trick I and Trucy played on you!"

Apollo remembered that horrible day when his hair had turned an electric blue color, and his two "horns" were red. He shuddered at the memory. "Please, don't remind me of that. But here, let me tell you all about it."

* * *

Apollo was at the Prosecutor's Office, where he was going to look for Franziska; however, he ran into Prosecutor Gavin.

"Hey Prosecutor Gavin. You seem to be in a rush. Where are you off to? An investigation?"

"Ah, hello Herr Forehead. No, not an investigation. I'm going on a date."

_He's going on a date? Well, he was a rockstar once, so it probably wouldn't be too hard for him to find a girlfriend. _

"With who, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Why, your fellow coworker."

"My coworker?" Apollo thought for a moment. His eyes widened like saucers when he realized who Klavier meant. "You're going out with Athena?!"

Klavier grinned. "Does that come as a surprise to you, Herr Forehead?"

"Yeah, actually, it does. Somehow, I just don't see you and Athena being together."

"Do I detect some jealousy, hm?"

Apollo laughed, crossing his arms. "I'll have you know that I'm in a wonderful relationship with Juniper Woods."

"Oh, wasn't she the Fraulein at the academy who I sang with? Nice catch, Herr Forehead. I'm impressed."

"Okay, moving on. Do you know where Ms. Von Karma is?"

"She should be in her office. I've got to go, Herr Forehead."

Apollo watched the prosecutor walk away. _I…I can't believe Athena and Prosecutor Gavin are an item! I mean, I thought Athena liked Prosecutor Blackquill. Maybe she's changed her mind. _

He ran into Simon next. "Hi Prosecutor Blackquill,"

"Hm? Oh, Justice-dono." Simon just waved a hand at him as he walked by. Apollo continued on his way. "Wait, Justice-dono."

_Uh oh. What does he want with me? Is he going to hurt me? _"Um, yes, Prosecutor Blackquill?"

"Have you seen Cykes-dono recently?"

"What do you mean? Yeah, I have seen her at the office."

"Oh. Do…do you know where she might be right now?"

"Well, I guess she's going to be with Prosecutor Gavin."

"What business does she have with him?"

_He looks a bit annoyed. Why is that? _"Well, according to Prosecutor Gavin, they're dating."

Flick.

"AH!" Apollo grabbed at his "horn," which was no longer pointy. _My…my beautiful horn! _

"Surely…you jest…Justice-dono," Simon snarled, a hand on his chest.

Apollo took a few steps back and held his hands in front of him. "That's what Prosecutor Gavin told me. I don't know if it's actually true or not." _Please don't hurt me! _Simon glowered at him.

_I better run before I get seriously hurt! _And run he did, far away from the Prosecutor's Office.

* * *

"Oh. I can see how I would sort of you could blame me for that," Athena replied, a sheepish smile on her face. "I'm sorry, Apollo."

Apollo sighed. "I…can forgive you. But you guys aren't really dating, are you? Seriously?"

"No, we aren't."

"Good. Then I can go tell Prosecutor Blackquill and make him feel guilty for cutting off my hair!"

"Hold it!" Athena slammed her desk. "You can't tell him that we aren't dating!"

"Why not?"

"Because technically, we are dating."

"But you just told me that you aren't dating! Make up your mind already!"

"It's a little complicated." Athena explained her plan to make Simon jealous. "I have no idea why Prosecutor Gavin agreed to the whole affair, but hey! At least he is helping me out."

"Prosecutor Gavin must want to die young, then. I can't imagine Prosecutor Blackquill will let him live for too long."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure of that. Rumor has it that Mr. Edgeworth warned Simon about being nicer to his colleagues, Prosecutor Gavin in particular."

"Well, I still don't think this is such a good idea. Don't you know what kind of problems the whole jealousy thing can lead to?"

"You sound just like Junie. She warned me of that, too. But…this is my only chance to get Simon to…" She faded off.

"You really shouldn't have to go to such extremes, Athena. I mean, look at me and Juniper." Apollo fixed his tie, a pompous smile on his face. "We admitted to each other how we felt, and now we're in a great relationship."

_Yeah, yeah, yeah. Way to rub it in. _"But look at how long it took the two of you to actually profess your feelings for each other!"

"But the important point is that neither of us resorted to crazy tactics to do so."

"Well Apollo. Simon…he's different. I don't know if he shares the feelings I have for him, so there's no way I'm going to make a fool of myself telling him how I feel." She sighed sadly.

"Hm…well…then I guess I'll have to keep the fact that Prosecutor Gavin and you aren't dating a secret, won't I?"

Athena's face registered shock. "You…you'd do that for me?"

Apollo shrugged. "I already lost part of my wonderful hair. What could be worse?"

_That…doesn't make me feel much better. _

"Besides, if this does get Prosecutor Blackquill to reassess his feelings for you, then there's no real harm in that, is there?"

Athena stared at Apollo before a smile broke on her face. "Thanks Apollo. You're a real pal."

He smiled, a hand behind his head. "I know!"

"But you still have a huge ego," she muttered.

"Hey!"

* * *

The next morning, when Apollo and Athena came into the office, they found that Phoenix was there.

"Good morning Boss! How nice it is to see your spiky hair and blue suit in the morning!"

"Um…good morning to you too, Athena."

"So, anything interesting going on today, Mr. Wright?"

"I actually got a case."

"You do?! Whoa, cool! Tell us about it!" Athena sat down in front of his desk.

"Apparently this business man named Razi R. Sharpe was stabbed and killed in his mansion yesterday, and they arrested his butler, Mr. Oliver Irving, who they claimed to be the only one at the scene. I went to visit him at the prison yesterday just before visiting hours were over. He's definitely innocent. I can tell."

"Sounds like a good case, Boss!"

"Do you know who's going to be the prosecutor?" Apollo asked.

"I called Edgeworth this morning, and he told me that there's a new prosecutor there who's joining today."

"Really? What's his name?"

"Her name, and I don't remember what he said it was, but she's the one who's going to be the prosecutor. It's her first case, but I guess Edgeworth thinks she's got what it takes."

"Boss! You could totally be the Rookie Killer for the Prosecutors, like Mr. Payne was!" Athena said excitedly.

Phoenix laughed. "I don't know, Athena. That probably wouldn't be such a good idea. Edgeworth could get mad at me, and besides. We both know how it feels to be going up against a proclaimed 'Rookie Killer,' don't we?"

Athena looked annoyed. She crossed her arms and looked away. "Yeah, yeah, I do. Just…don't be too nice to her, even though she is a newbie."

"Gee, Athena. You seem to have no sympathy for this new prosecutor. Have you met her before?" Apollo questioned.

"…No."

Apollo and Phoenix sighed. Phoenix spoke to Apollo. "So, your trial started yesterday, right Apollo? How's it going?"

"It's going alright, Mr. Wright. I still haven't completely established Mr. Moore's innocence, but he's the only one who testified so far. He claims that he didn't kill the victim, but he did admit that he played a part in moving the victim's body. Today, we're going to be hearing from Serena."

"Serena? She's testifying?"

Apollo nodded. "It's because she was the one who found the body, not to mention Prosecutor Von Karma said she had a particular interest in her."

"Hm…" Phoenix held his chin in his hand. "I wonder…maybe Franziska thinks Serena could have been the one who committed the murder."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. Or at least, she must be a suspect. I don't know. I guess I'll find out today. I actually should be headed to the courthouse right now. Junie's going to be there too."

"Aw! Junie's coming to watch your trial? That's so cute!"

Apollo blushed. "I told her she didn't have to, but she insisted."

"Alright then Apollo. You better hop to it. Good luck!"

"Yeah, Apollo! Go serve some justice!"

"Really, Athena? Did you have to say that?" She nodded. "I'll see you guys later."

* * *

(**AN: Here's the first trial I've written. I actually wasn't going to include this, but I figured I could try it out and see how it goes. The writing style is a little different, as I label who says what. Let me know what you think of it! The testimony is in italics, thoughts are in parentheses, and actions are in brakcets****.**)

Judge: Last time we left off with the defendant testifying about what had happened. He also confessed to have moved the body into the office. Prosecutor Von Karma. You wanted to call another witness?

Von Karma: Yes. The prosecution would like to call Serena Sterling to witness stand.

[Serena is escorted to the stand] Please state your name and occupation.

Sterling: My name is Serena Sterling, and I'm a local ER doctor.

Von Karma: Dr. Sterling. Please testify to the court about what you did the morning you found the body.

Sterling: Okay.

1) _I went to the ER at about 6:00 AM, an hour and a half before it opens. I was the only there._

2)_ I first went to the front desk where I get all of the computers and equipment turned on._

3) _I was walking past my office at about 6:15, when I smelled something rancid coming from it, so I took a look inside._

4) _I saw the man's body there. He was lying face up with his eyes open. Before I called the police, I got a pair of gloves on and checked to see if he really was dead, and he was._

Apollo: (I should press some of those statements to get more information out of her.)

Judge: The defense may cross-examine the witness.

Apollo: Se…Dr. Sterling. You mentioned in your first statement that you got to the ER an hour and a half before it opened. Why were you there so early?

Sterling: I try to get to the ER early whenever I'm going to working there. I found that by getting there early and prepping everything for the day to come ahead, things tend to go a lot more smoothly for us. Sometimes we have problems with the equipment, so it helps to get all of those issues taken care of before patients start coming in.

Judge: That is good thinking, Dr. Sterling.

Sterling: It's not a big deal. It's just an extra thing I find useful doing.

Apollo: Right. (Is there any other useful information I can press from her statements?)

Von Karma: Dr. Sterling. I have a question of my own for you.

Sterling: Yes?

Von Karma: You were the only one there at the clinic, weren't you?

Sterling: That's correct.

Von Karma: No one else was there besides you.

Apollo: (Oh no. Prosecutor Von Karma…I know what she's going to say. )

Von Karma; Your Honor, I see no reason to prolong this trial for much longer. The answer is simple. This witness…is the murderer.

Sterling: !

Apollo: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!

Judge; Prosecutor Von Karma! What is the meaning of your accusation?!

Von Karma: Hmph. You foolish fool. Dr. Sterling was the only one who was at the clinic, was she not? It seems that we also forgot to address the fact that she is head of the emergency department there, meaning that she has a lot of access to many resources. Would it be so wrong to think that she was the one who murdered the man?

Apollo: Objection! What motive would she have to kill the victim?!

Von Karma: Hmph. A motive can easily be found once she is thoroughly questioned by me.

Apollo: Witness! I mean, Dr. Sterling! What do you have to say about this accusation?

Sterling: I can say with complete honesty that I did not kill that man.

Von Karma: Objection! I have here a list of ID numbers that were recorded into the security system at the hospital. That day, the first and only person who scanned their card to enter the ER was Serena Sterling! The time recorded here is 6:00 AM. The next ID number recorded here is at 7:00 AM! The estimated time of death was around 6:05 AM, which means that Dr. Sterling very well could have murdered the victim!

Apollo: Objection! That's not right! Mr. Moore admitted to moving the body into Ms. Sterling's office, which is inside the clinic. In order for Mr. Moore to get into the clinic, he would've had to scan his card too!

Von Karma: Objection! Ha! What a foolish claim! Dr. Sterling could've easily held the door open for Mr. Moore to enter the clinic with her and help her do her dirty work.

Apollo: (Ack! I didn't think of that possibility! But…she couldn't have killed him. I have to think of something. Maybe I should present some evidence? What can I present though? [Apollo looks through the evidence.] Wait. This…I almost forgot about this piece of paper!)

Judge: If the defense doesn't have anything to add, then we will have to move on from the cross-examination.

Apollo: Your Honor! The defense would like to present evidence.

Judge: Alright, Mr. Justice. Please show this court evidence which disproves Prosecutor Von Karma's theory.

Apollo: Take that! Prosecutor Von Karma. Where did you obtain that piece of paper from?

Von Karma: I got it from another doctor there at the clinic. He had a rather peculiar name.

Apollo: [Crosses arms and smiles] I believe that whoever gave you that paper [points] had something to do with this case!

Von Karma: What foolishness you speak!

Apollo: I have here a list of ID numbers I found in the trash can in Dr. Sterling's trashcan.

Judge: You searched a trash can?

Apollo: That's not the point, Your Honor. The point is that way at the bottom of the can, I found this paper. If you would please take a look, Your Honor.

Judge: Hm….! Why, this…this list shows another ID number before Dr. Sterling's!

Apollo: Precisely! I assert that whosever ID number this is, they are somehow affiliated with this murder! Dr. Sterling. Would you be able to tell us who this number belongs to?

Sterling: …! No…no way. This ID number…is Mr. Oncho's!

Apollo: Ed Oncho, head of the ER at the main hospital, Dr. Sterling's boss.

Von Karma: He was the one who gave me this sheet!

Apollo: Hm…that can't just be a coincidence. But as this sheet shows, Dr. Sterling isn't the only person who can be suspected in this case. Your Honor! The defense requests to bring Mr. Ed Oncho to the court to testify!

Judge: Ah yes. It seems that would be necessary; however, we must end the trial for today. Prosecutor Von Karma. Please confirm that this ID number does indeed belong to Mr. Oncho, and please have him come into court tomorrow to testify. Both the defense and prosecution should continue their investigations. Court is adjourned.

Apollo: (Phew! That was a little too close.)

(Outside the courthouse…)

"Serena. I'm sorry you were temporarily accused of murder."

Serena shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time, would it? But at least I wasn't arrested. Not yet, anyways. But I guess there is always the possibility.

"They don't have enough evidence to arrest you, I'm sure of it, and you don't have a motive, but I'm sure they still consider you to be a suspect. I'll need to come back with you to the hospital one last time. I have this strong feeling that your boss is the culprit, but I just need to find evidence which proves this."

"Hm…you know. Maybe you should talk to security again. They may know something about the ID numbers and about anything else that could help out."

Juniper came over to where the two individuals were talking. "Polly. You did great in court today!"

"Aw, thanks, but I got lucky. I'm going to go back to the clinic with Serena to investigate one more time. Would you like to come with me?"

"I'd love to, Polly!"

"Oh wait! I should introduce you guys. Serena, this is Juniper Woods, my girlfriend. Juniper, this is Serena Sterling. She's a local ER doctor."

"Nice to meet you, Juniper."

"Nice to meet you too, Dr. Sterling."

"Please, call me Serena. We should get going, you two."

* * *

Edgeworth heard a knock on his door. "Come in." In walked a new face. It was a woman. She was wearing a white tank top with an orange jacket on top, along with a black pencil skirt. She had stockings, and on her feet were orange pumps. She had black hair with brown and blonde highlights.

Edgeworth stood up. "May I help you?"

The woman smiled. "Hi. My name is Vicalyn Aaron."

"Ah. Mrs. Aaron." Edgeworth bowed. "It's very nice to meet you."

"It's very nice to meet you too, Chief Prosecutor. And please. Call me Vicki."

"Hmph. There's no need to call me Chief Prosecutor, Mrs. Aaron. You found your office and have gotten settled in, I gather?"

She nodded. "Yes, I did. It was very nice."

"Good. I hope you don't mind, but I have a case for you to prosecute. Would you be willing to take it on in such short notice?"

Her smile only got bigger. "Of course, Mr. Edgeworth. After all, I did come here with the intention to work as a prosecutor. The sooner I get to start, the better."

"Of course. How about you have a seat, and I'll give you an overview of the case." _Hm…this woman seems competent. I think she'll be a fine addition to the office. _

**So I hope that trial wasn't too bad. I know it went by kind of quick, but I actually wasn't really even planning on writing this trial. Let me know what you think by reviewing or leaving me a private message. Thanks! **


	16. Ch 15: Turnabout Interlude

**Gah! You guys! I'm so sorry I haven't updated for the past week! It was kind of hectic and kind of depressing, so I found writing to be a little hard. But I do hope you guys know just how much I appreciate that you're reading this fan fiction! I never expected to have anyone read it, nor respond to it so positively! You guys, the readers and the reviewers, make writing this story extra fun for me! I was looking back at some of my other fanfics when I came to this realization. Thank you so much for staying with me for so long! **

**Anyway, sorry for that little rant! Here's the next chapter. This one was pretty hard to write for some reason. I again had no idea who to include in it, but I eventually figured something out. Hope you enjoy!**

******_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 15 – Turnabout Interlude (**AN: I had no idea what to name this chapter, but if I come up with a better name, I'll change it**)

Phoenix was standing in the defendant's lobby, waiting for the bailiff to call him. Athena had decided to tag along with him. "You excited Boss?"

He shrugged. "As excited as I usually am."

"Have you met the new prosecutor?"

"No, I haven't had the chance to."

Just then, the two defense attorneys noticed someone heading towards them.

_I wonder who that is. _

The woman stopped in front of them. She smiled. "You must be the famous Phoenix Wright, am I right?"

Phoenix's hand went behind his head as he laughed. "Heh heh. Yeah, that would be me!"

The woman extended her hand out towards him. "My name is Vicalyn Aaron. I'm the prosecutor for this case."

"Ah! So you're the new prosecutor! My name is…well…I guess you already know who I am." He shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you Ms. Aaron."

"Please, call me Vicki." The woman's green eyes shifted to Athena. "Hi."

"Oh hi! My name is Athena Cykes!" Athena held up a peace sign. "It's nice to meet you!"

"The same to you too!" Just then, the bailiff called out to them. The prosecutor looked back at Phoenix. "Good luck Mr. Wright. I look forward to unveiling the truth with you."

Phoenix nodded his head. "So do I, Vicki. Good luck to you too."

Phoenix turned to Athena. "You're going to be in the gallery, right?"

"Yeah. I don't think you'll need me for this trial. Good luck Boss!"

(**AN: I'm not going to write in this trial. At least, not this first day, but I'll definitely be writing the last day of this particular trial. Just in case any of you were curious!**)

* * *

"Polly! Congratulations on your not guilty verdict!" Juniper went to hug Apollo, who readily returned the hug.

"Thanks. I'm glad that Mr. Moore will walk away a free man." The two of them separated and watched as Serena walked up to them.

"Great job Apollo. I have to personally thank you for figuring out this mess."

"Thanks Serena. And I'm sorry about your boss."

She crossed her arms, an annoyed look on her face. "Don't worry about it. We'll just have to find someone else to replace him is all. It just sickens me to think a doctor could do something so cruel as to murder a man like that, and then to pin it all on Mr. Moore." She shook her head. "Criminals. And to think I was working for one." She shuddered. "It disgusts me."

Apollo nodded in agreement. "I just wonder what his motive was. Why did he kill that guy?" The three of them were silent.

"Ms. Sterling…I mean, Serena. Polly and I were going to go out to get some lunch with Thena and Mr. Wright. Would you care to join us?"

Serena smiled. "That's a nice offer; however, I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I'm working second shift at the ER today, so I need to head over there soon. But I hope you guys have fun, and please say hi to Mr. Wright and Athena for me."

"Alright. Serena. Thanks!" Apollo wrapped an arm around Juniper. "Let's go meet up with Athena and Mr. Wright at Courtroom number 4, hm?"

Junie nodded.

The two of them locked arms and headed over to the courtroom's lobby. They saw Athena and Phoenix talking.

"Hey Mr. Wright."

"Apollo, Ms. Woods."

"Apollo! Junie!"

"Hi Thena, Mr. Wright."

"So. How's the trial going?" Apollo asked eagerly.

"It's going okay. I mean, we somehow got through Mike Meekins's testimony." Phoenix sighed.

"Major emphasis on the somehow. His testimony was…ugh." Athena shook her head. "But anyway. How did your trial go, Apollo?"

"I managed to prove Mr. Moore's innocence."

"Awesome job, Apollo!" Phoenix patted him on the back.

"Polly was great in the courtroom. The way he yelled out to the judge that the doctor was the one who committed the crime…" Juniper sighed dreamily.

Apollo chuckled, a hand behind his head. "You really liked that?"

"Way to boost his ego, Junie," Athena muttered. "He's going to be up in the clouds."

"Hey!"

"Alright, you two. Stop arguing like siblings. I'm starving. We've got to go catch some lunch, don't we?" Phoenix led the way out of the courthouse.

They decided to get some noodles from Guy Eldoon, and they headed back to the office with their lunches in hand.

"So how was that new prosecutor, Mr. Wright?" Apollo asked as he slurped up some noodles.

"She was pretty good. I was impressed. She happened to spot a few inconsistencies in Meekins's testimony before I did." Phoenix ate a forkful of noodles. "But I expected that. After all, Edgeworth was the one who assigned her to the case. He wouldn't have done that unless he thought she was good enough."

"Hm. Well, she may be good, but I don't think she'll be as good as the legendary Phoenix Wright!" Athena exclaimed.

Apollo rolled his eyes, while Phoenix chuckled. Juniper just smiled. "Thena. How are things going with you? I haven't talked to you since I came here to the agency."

"Oh me? I'm doing well, Junie."

"Well? You should be doing better than that, Athena. Especially given that you're dating the lead singer of the Gavinners."

The three youngsters watched with surprise as Phoenix coughed on his noodles. "You alright Boss?"

Phoenix drank some water, and his coughing quickly ceased. "Yeah, I'm fine. But…I think I misheard you Apollo. Did you just say Athena's dating Prosecutor Gavin?"

"Why don't you ask Athena yourself, Mr. Wright?"

Phoenix's gaze turned to Athena. "He's kidding right? I remember Prosecutor Gavin telling Trucy and me the same thing when we met up at the park, but I thought it was an April Fool's Day trick. You guys aren't serious, are you?"

"Heh, heh, heh. It wasn't an April Fool's Day trick, Boss…and…well…he's…kind of right."

"You like Prosecutor Gavin that way, Athena? I never would've guessed!"

"Well, she is technically dating him," Apollo clarified.

"Technically?" Phoenix once again looked to Athena.

"Ugh. It's…a long story."

Phoenix looked at the clock on the wall. "I've got plenty of time."

Athena heaved a sigh. _Of course you do._ "Well, this is how it is…"

Athena explained the whole situation to Phoenix.

"You do know how this kind of plan usually works out in…"

"Yes! I know! You're the third person who's told me that, Boss!" Athena sighed again. _I seriously need to stop sighing. I'm starting to sound like Mr. Starbuck!_

Phoenix smiled sympathetically. "Athena. If you really like Prosecutor Blackquill so much, why don't you just tell him straight up about it?"

"It's not that easy, Mr. Wright. Simon's…Simon's a tough guy."

"You don't need to tell me that," Phoenix mumbled. "I've faced the guy in court."

Athena's hands closed tightly. "But…he's a good guy. Beneath that tough exterior is a kind, considerate, straight as an arrow man who cares about finding the truth and fighting crime." Athena looked away. "I knew him since I was 11 years old. I remember what he was like back then. I know that that Simon is still inside of him, deep, deep down. It's just that seven years in jail...it can change a person."

The other three were quiet for a moment. "Thena." Athena looked up at Juniper, who smiled. "I know you're right. I'm sure that the Simon you once knew is still there, and I know that…you're the only one who can reach out to him, and bring him back."

Phoenix nodded. "After all, you were the one who saved him from his punishment."

"Yeah, I know."

"So don't worry about it, Athena. Things should work out for you eventually."

"I sure hope so."

"Anyway, so how is 'dating' Prosecutor Gavin been like, Athena?" Phoenix asked.

Athena rolled her eyes. "He's so annoying. When I first met him, I thought he was suave and cool."

"You even got his autograph when you hadn't even heard of the Gavinners," Apollo added, remembering when he introduced the two of them to each other.

"As I was saying, I thought he was cool and all, but when I was spending more time with him, I came to a sad realization. The guy's ego is bigger than Apollo's, and given how large Apollo's is, that's definitely saying something."

"Hey!"

Juniper and Phoenix just laughed as they watched the two lawyers argue with each other.

Just then, into the office came Trucy, Pearls, and Iris.

"Hello there everyone!" Trucy called out as she sat down next to Phoenix. "! Daddy! You got Eldoon's Noodles?! Did you get me some too?"

Phoenix chuckled. "How could I not get you some of Eldoon's noodles, Trucy?" He handed her a cup of noodles.

"Yay! Thank you Daddy!" Trucy began gobbling down the noodles. "Mm…Salty and extra spicy. My favorite!"

"Pearly…Iris. Would you two like some noodles?" Athena asked, holding two bowls of noodles for them.

"No thanks, Athena," Pearl replied.

"How about you Iris? Iris?"

Iris was watching Phoenix and Trucy intently. Phoenix had an arm around Trucy and was laughing at something Trucy had said.

_Hm…Her heart. I don't feel any jealously coming from it, but…I do feel some major longing. At least one thing's for sure. If I don't get together with Simon, I need to figure out what the situation is with these two, and possibly get them together!_

* * *

After a while in the office, Pearl and Iris left to go back to their apartment. Apollo left to bring Juniper back home, and Phoenix left the office to talk with his client in the case and do some more investigation. Only Trucy and Athena were left at the office.

"So Athena. You're going to explain the whole you dating Prosecutor Gavin thing, aren't you?"

Athena smiled. "I knew you'd figure it out." Athena told Trucy the whole story.

"Wow."

"I know what you're going to say next. Don't you know that this kind of plan usually backfires?"

Trucy gaped at Athena. "What do you mean that it backfires?! I think it's sheer genius!"

_Finally! Someone who sees things the way I do! _

"You think so, Trucy?"

Trucy nodded. "This is totally going to work! You just wait Athena!" Trucy held her fists in front of her. "Sooner or later, Prosecutor Blackquill is going to confess his undying love for you, and then you guys will get married, and I'll be your flower girl!"

Athena laughed. "Let's take things slowly Trucy. And you're not going to be my flower girl." Trucy frowned. "You're going to be my maid of honor!"

"Eeeee! Yay! I'm so excited!"

"As we're on the subject of romance, I was wondering Trucy. Do you know what the deal is with Mr. Wright and Iris?"

"Yes I do. You're going to have to brace yourself for this story, Athena. It's a long one!"

Trucy relayed the whole backstory about Phoenix and Iris that Pearl had told her.

"Whoa. That's a lot to swallow."

"That's literally the same thing I said!" Trucy frowned. "Pearl and I are planning to get the two of them back together, but we aren't exactly sure how to go about doing that."

"Oh my gosh! I totally want in on this too!" Athena pumped her fist in the air. "This is going to be a piece of cake!"

Trucy smiled. "I was hoping you'd be willing to help me out. We need to come up with some ideas."

"You're right. The first thing we need to do is to get them comfortable around each other. Nothing puts a damper on romance like awkwardness. Once we get past the awkwardness, things should run along nicely."

"Good idea. What should we do?"

The two girls sat in the office, deep in thought. After five minutes, Trucy spoke up. "You know? I think this is going to be a teeny-weeny bit harder than a piece of cake."

**I feel really bad not having posted in a while, so I'm going to post the next chapter for the story really soon (meaning later on today/tonight)! I hope you liked this one! Like I said in the beginning, it was pretty hard to get this chapter written. The next chapter might have some Cykesquill in it, although I have a feeling it will be more Feenris. Feel free to leave a review or private message me!**


	17. Ch 16: Turnabout Rainstorm

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 16 – Turnabout Rainstorm

"Mr. Wright. How's the case going?" Apollo asked his boss.

Phoenix was sighed. "Honestly Apollo. I don't know. Things aren't looking to great."

"What do you mean?" Athena asked. Athena, Apollo, and Trucy had gone to the courthouse to meet Phoenix to go out to have lunch with him after the second day of the trial.

"The testimonies given are rather weak, and that Vicki." He shook his head. "She's good. Real good. I can imagine Edgeworth's going to be impressed by her."

"But Mr. Irving is innocent, isn't he Daddy?"

"That's what I initially believed, Trucy. But to be quite honest, I'm…not so sure now."

"Mr. Wright!" The other three looked Athena, who had stopped walking on the sidewalk. "Remember what you always told me and Apollo? You have to believe in your client until the bitter end!"

Phoenix smiled. _It's nice to hear a pep talk from Athena. _"You're right, Athena. I just I was a little down in the dumps after how the trial went today."

"Mr. Wright. I'm sure that tomorrow, you'll end up turning things around, just like you always do!" Apollo added.

"Yeah Daddy! Don't worry about it! I know you can do it!"

"Thanks you guys. I don't know what was wrong with me."

"Daddy. I told Pearl and Iris that we could all meet up at the local burger joint and hang out at the park together."

"Oh, um, okay." _Oh no. This isn't going to be awkward at all._

* * *

_This is totally awkward! _Phoenix was walking right next to Iris, with Athena and Apollo in front of them, and Pearls and Trucy behind them.

Pearls and Trucy watched as Phoenix and Iris walked silently beside each other. "Pearl. They aren't saying a word to each other! What do we do?!" Trucy whispered urgently.

"I don't know! I can't think of how to get the two of them to talk to each other. What could they talk about anyway?!"

Meanwhile, Apollo and Athena were having their own conversation about the two adults.

"Psst…Apollo."

"What Athena? Why are you going all 'psst?' I'm standing right next to…ow!"

Athena nudged him in the ribcage. "Sh! You don't want them to hear you, do you?!"

"Don't want who to hear me? What's going on?!" Apollo spoke quietly, holding a hand to his ribcage.

"Are you guys arguing again?" The two younger lawyers turned to look at Phoenix. He smiled. "You better be careful about how often you argue, or people could think you're a married couple or something."

Apollo and Athena's faces turned red as they faced forward again and continued walking down the straight. "See! Look what you did Athena!"

"Don't make it seem like we're arguing Apollo! I already have tons of people thinking that I really am dating Prosecutor Gavin! I really don't need rumors going around that I'm cheating on him with you."

"Why would people…you know what? I'm not even going to bother asking. Anyway, what was it you were whispering to me about in the first place?"

"I wanted to know if you had any ideas on how to get Mr. Wright and Iris together?"

"Me? Ideas?! What gave you the notion that I would know how to do something like that?! Not to mention, why are you trying to get the two of them together anyway?"

"Er…it's a long story." Athena looked behind her to ensure that Iris and Phoenix wouldn't hear her. "Basically, long story short, Mr. Wright and Iris dated in college, but Iris sort of lied to him and was posing as her twin sister, so Mr. Wright never really knew that he was really dating Iris and not her sister, Dahlia, who happened to be a huge criminal who killed two of her ex-boyfriends and was plotting with her mom to kill someone else. That last part was part of the case file that we tried to find in the office, but couldn't."

Apollo just stared at Athena. "Don't look at me as if I'm crazy! Trucy told me that story, and Pearly told her about it."

"Hm…I'll only believe that story because you said Pearl told Trucy; otherwise, there's no way I could possibly even begin to believe that." He looked to Athena. "What makes you think that Mr. Wright and Iris want to get back together?"

"Just look at the two of them, Apollo!"

Apollo did just that. Phoenix had his hands in his pockets and was looking to one side, away from Iris, while Iris looked down at the ground as she walked. They stood at least a foot apart from each other. He turned back around. "Right. They're totally in love."

Athena rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't understand. I can hear it in their hearts, or at least, I can hear it in Iris's heart. She wants Boss to accept her again, but she's obviously scared. As for Mr. Wright…his heart's sending out mixed signals."

"Well, given the complicated story you just told me, I'm not surprised that he has mixed emotions. I mean, given what you said, she did lie to him for the duration of their relationship."

"That's not the point Apollo! She ended up really falling in love with him! She was even willing to risk her life and fight against her sister, who she worked with closely and loved dearly, just to save Mr. Wright. If that's not love, I don't know what is!"

"I guess you do have a point there, but Athena. You've got to think of things from Mr. Wright's perspective. Could you even begin to imagine how devastated he must've been when he found out that the girl he thought he was dating actually turned out to be a murderer, and that he didn't even know the real identity of the girl he was actually dating? That can do a lot of damage on a guy."

"I know, but Mr. Wright always believed in Iris, he really did. And Pearly told me that even after all those years apart, Mr. Wright never took his eyes off Iris. I'm sure he still has feelings for her."

"So what you're trying to tell me is that you, and I'm assuming Trucy is in on this whole thing too, are planning to get Iris and Mr. Wright together, and you expect, no, demand that I help you guys out."

"Oh Apollo. You know me too well."

Apollo shook his head. "The crazy things I get myself into."

"Isn't that Mr. Edgeworth crossing the street there?" Apollo pointed to a figure wearing a wine red suit.

"Yeah, it is. Hey! Edgeworth!"

The figure was now on the same side as the group was, and he stopped as they approached him.

"What are you doing out, Edgeworth? Shouldn't you be holed up in your office right now?" Phoenix teased.

"Hmph. I went out to get some lunch. I was just going to walk back to the office." He bowed his head politely to the others. "Hello…" His eyes widened behind his glasses as he noticed someone familiar. "Ms…Fey?"

Iris looked up and smiled shyly. "Hello Mr. Edgeworth."

"Oh. It's…uh…nice to see you again." _What is she doing here? With Wright no less?_

"You too."

"Mr. Edgeworth! You should come to the agency with us!" Trucy said excitedly.

"I'm afraid I do have some work to do at the office…" he faded off as he saw Trucy frown. "Although, I do suppose I have some time on my hands." _It certainly shouldn't hurt. _

"Yay!"

They all resumed walking when Athena felt something wet on her face. "Is that…a raindrop?"

The group stopped walking and looked down at the sidewalk, where droplets of rainwater were appearing on it.

"Oh no! It's raining! And I didn't even bring an umbrella!" Trucy exclaimed.

"None of us did, Trucy!" Phoenix replied. "Edgeworth. Where's your car?"

"Hmph. I just so happens that I figured I'd leave my car at the office's garage and get some exercise. That was obviously a bad idea."

"Come on! Let's run!" Apollo called out.

They all ran as fast as they could. Phoenix looked beside him and noticed how Iris was getting wet. Suddenly, he pulled his blue coat off and covered her head with it.

"Ph…Phoenix."

"You need to stay dry Iris. Otherwise, you'll catch a cold."

Iris just nodded.

"Here Pearl. Let's use my cape to cover up." Trucy unclipped her cape and wrapped it over hers and Pearl's heads.

"Ah! This isn't fair! I have nothing to cover myself up with!" Athena whined.

"You're one to talk! I can't get my hair wet! It'll ruin my hair gel!"

"Your hair?! Who cares about your hair?! I care about my beloved Widget! I can't get it wet!"

The rain began to pour harder. As the seven people ran in front of an apartment building, someone called out to them, and they stopped in their tracks.

"Hey!"

"Look! It's Serena!" Trucy called out.

"Get in here, you guys!" She was at the front entrance to the building, and she held the door open for them. They all quickly entered the building.

"Phew! That rain literally came out of nowhere!" Athena shook herself dry. "Thank you Serena."

"No problem. I saw you guys running out there when I was coming in. Where were you going?"

"We were just coming back from lunch and going to the office when the rain began to fall," Phoenix explained.

Serena looked out the window. "Looks like the storm came earlier than expected." She turned to the group. "You guys can stay here until the storm passes."

"Oh no. We can't intrude like that, Serena," Apollo reasoned.

She waved her hand in the air nonchalantly. "Nonsense. I can't let you guys go out in this awful weather. You could catch a cold! You can come up to my apartment and wait the storm out. It shouldn't be too long."

The six of them conceded and followed the doctor to the elevator. _Oh no. Not…an elevator. _

She sighed. "Oh." She turned around, frowning. "The elevator's still broken. I hope you guys don't mind if we take the stairs."

"That's fine," Phoenix replied.

_What a relief._

* * *

*Huff, huff, huff.* Phoenix leaned on the railing. He saw one of the doors read level 5. "What floor is your apartment on?"

"The seventh floor."

Apollo and Phoenix groaned. Iris, Pearl and Trucy walked up the stairs past them, holding in their giggles. Athena jogged by and was laughing. "You guys are obviously out of shape! Look at Mr. Edgeworth! He's nearly caught up with Serena!"

Phoenix groaned as he pushed himself off the railing and dragged himself up the stairs, with Apollo right behind him. "That's because Edgeworth takes 12 flights of stairs every day at his office. It would be a shock if he couldn't get up these stairs."

They finally reached the 7th floor, and she led them to apartment number 705. She unlocked it and held the door open. "Please, come in."

They all piled into the apartment, and Serena shut the door behind her.

Iris realized that she was still wearing Phoenix's coat. She pulled it off her head and handed it to him. "Here's your coat, Phoenix. Th…thank you."

Phoenix accepted the coat. "You're welcome."

Trucy, Pearl and Athena looked each other and smiled, while Apollo just shook his head, resisting the sudden urge to roll his eyes.

"How about you guys have a seat, and I'll make you guys something to drink. Does tea sound good?"

"Would you happen to have coffee, Serena?" Athena asked curiously.

"I…actually don't." Serena smiled sheepishly. "I'll be honest. I usually don't have company come by, so I just have tea and some juice here."

"That's fine too," Athena replied.

The seven of them were sitting on two navy blue couches and waited quietly.

Trucy, Pearl and Athena were watching Iris and Phoenix intently. The two adults were sitting right next to each other on the opposite sofa, with Edgeworth next to Apollo, who was next to Phoenix.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Serena came back into the living room. She saw how Trucy was looking around the apartment. "Anything catch your interest, Trucy?"

"Hm? Oh! No. I was just looking around. Your apartment…it's…nice."

_Hm…it's quite…bland, to be more accurate._

Serena smiled, her head tilted a little. "Oh, you can be honest. I won't be hurt. I know it isn't too great. If anything, I think the one word that would describe it would be…sterile."

_That is a good word for it. Sterile just like a hospital. _

The others looked around and could see that the doctor was right. The walls were gray-colored and bare. There were a few pieces of wooden furniture around the place, namely a coffee table in the middle of the two couches. A simple black clock was on the wall.

"You know Serena. You should put up some pictures of yourself and maybe those of your family," Athena offered.

Her eyes looked down to the ground, and a small smile appeared on her face. "That does sound nice."

_Oh! Perhaps she doesn't…_

"Oh shoot! I'm sorry! I didn't…"

"It's fine Athena. No worries. I've actually meant to go out and buy some paintings. You know, to decorate the place a little, but I just haven't had the time." They heard a noise come from the kitchen. "Oh! That must be the tea. Do you guys want something to eat, like cookies?"

"No, we all just ate lunch, but thanks," Phoenix replied.

She left the room. Apollo spoke up. "Way to go Athena. You should try to be less nosy."

"What?! I was just asking an innocent question, although I do feel bad about bringing it up." She looked down. "I really should know better than to ask something personal like that."

"Well, she didn't seem offended," Pearl added.

"Here's the tea everyone." Serena came back in and placed down seven cups and stood with one of her own.

"Thank you Serena," Trucy said.

Pearl took a sip of her tea and set it down on the table. "So Ms. Serena. What's your typical day like? I could imagine it's not like that of lawyers."

Serena thought for a moment. "My typical day? Like, what I usually do?" Pearl nodded. "Hm…well, I get up in the morning, take a shower, have a cup of tea, get ready for work, and go to the ER and work. I come back here, have another cup of tea, and I go to sleep."

"O…oh."

"So what do you do when you don't have work?" Apollo asked curiously.

"When I'm not at work? Oh, that's a tough question. I'm usually always working, and even if I'm not working, I usually find myself at the ER, helping out or in my office."

"And what do you do for fun?" Trucy asked.

"For fun? Well, I…I like to grow plants, although I haven't been too successful right now. I listen to music. I read." Serena had a lopsided grin. "I have to admit. I really don't do much. I'm kind of stick-in-the-mud."

"So you don't go out and have fun on Friday nights when you don't have work? You know, partying hard and hanging out with people?" Athena asked, a teasing smile on her face.

Serena laughed. "I don't…party too well, and I don't hang out much."

"Oh."

"Now enough about me. How about you guys tell what's been going on with all of you?"

She listened intently to each of them as they all spoke about their day thus far.

"Ms. Serena. I have a question that maybe you could answer for me. You see, Iris here would like to enroll in some college classes and get a degree in something."

Serena nodded. "That's great! Do you know what you want to do, Ms. Fey?"

Iris hesitated. "I'm…not 100% sure yet."

"That's fine. Do you know where you'd like to take classes?"

"She'd like to go to Ivy University, since it's nearby and she could stay at home," Pearl explained. "Would you be able to help her out somehow?"

"Well, I don't know how much help I could be, since I didn't go to Ivy University myself; however, a coworker of mine does have a relative working there. I could possibly ask her about it, and I could let you know."

"Thank you, Ms. Serena."

"Yes, thank you. I really do appreciate it," Iris said.

"It'd be my pleasure. I only wish I could help you out more." Her eyes went to look out the window. "Hm…it's still raining pretty hard out there."

The room filled with silence. Edgeworth was still drinking his tea. _Mm…this is Earl Gray tea. It's quite good. _

"Serena. Would you mind if I looked around?"

Serena shrugged. "I…don't see why not."

Trucy and Pearl went around exploring the apartment while Phoenix spoke with Athena and Apollo. Iris soon got up to follow Pearl and Trucy.

Edgeworth picked up the newspaper on the coffee table and read it over.

"Hm…it seems like your case has made it into the papers, Wright."

"What do you mean?" Phoenix pulled the paper so he could read it. "Oh. Right. This article is talking about Mr. Irving and the suspicion surrounding him."

"Irving?!"

The four lawyers stared at the doctor, who until that moment remained silent.

"Do you know Mr. Irving, Ms. Sterling?"

"I...I've heard the name. Must've been in the news."

Edgeworth watched as she picked up the cups from the table and left to the kitchen. _That was an interesting reaction. _

His attention shifted to Apollo, who was frowning.

"Apollo. Is something bothering you?"

"No, no. It's nothing, Athena. I'm fine."

Athena gave him an odd look. _Sure you're fine. Your tone of voice says otherwise though. _

"You guys! The storm's passed."

Trucy and Pearl came out of one of the room with Iris right behind them.

"You're right. We better get going." Phoenix stood up.

Serena walked back into the room. "Looks like you guys have got to go, huh?"

"Yeah, we do. Thank you for letting us stay here to wait out the storm, Serena."

Everyone else said their thank yous as well. "It's no problem, really. I would've felt bad if you were all walking in that heavy downpour."

The seven of them piled out of the apartment, bid their farewells to the doctor, and went down the stairs once more.

* * *

Edgeworth had dropped into the office for a minute before returning to the Prosecutor's Office.

That evening, at the office was Trucy, Athena, Apollo, and Phoenix.

"So Boss. Tomorrow's the big day for you!"

"You're right Athena. I've got to turn things around somehow tomorrow."

"I know you can do it Daddy. I wish I could come and cheer you on, but I can't."

"I know, same here, but I have a date tomorrow. And you Athena? Are you going to watch the trial?"

Athena groaned. "Unfortunately, I can't. My 'boyfriend' and I are going to be dueling in court tomorrow, as he likes to say, rocking the courthouse down. Ugh. I can hear his voice in my head. 'Achtung, baby. You may be my beloved Fraulein, but in the courtroom, there's no boyfriend or girlfriend."

"Oh. Sounds fun, Athena. Good luck."

"Thanks Boss, and you too. I better get going. Bye."

"Yeah, I've got to leave too. I need to make sure to get up early and practice my Chords of Steel."

Phoenix and Trucy watched the two lawyers leave. Trucy spoke up. "But…I do have someone who's going to be there cheering you on instead, Daddy."

"Who's that Trucy?"

"Why, Iris of course!"

"I…Iris? She's going to be in the gallery tomorrow, watching the trial?'

Trucy nodded her head enthusiastically. "I asked her if she was busy tomorrow, and that if she wasn't, if she could go to the courthouse and watch your trial for me. She ended up agreeing."

"Oh, that's…nice of her." _Why? Why does this have to happen to me?! I can't believe it._ His eyes landed on Trucy's beaming face. _Well, for Trucy's sake, I'll go along with this. And anyway, I can't get distracted by Iris. I need to focus on finding out the truth of what happened to Mr. Sharpe tomorrow. Yes. That's right. That's the most important thing I need to think about. _

**I'm sorry there wasn't really any Cykesquill in this chapter, but I can 100% guarantee that Cykesquill will be in the next chapter! I kind of wanted this chapter to be more about the OC, so I'm sorry if it's kind of boring (she's kind of a boring character, I know!) but never fear! I'm actually working on the next chapter right now, so if everything goes well, it should be up later today! Please feel free to leave me a review and/or a private message. Thanks!**


	18. Ch 17: Turnabout Guilty

**I've been getting ahead of myself again…meaning I've been writing parts for future chapters in the story (I was in particular working on Cykesquill! It was so much fun!) I wished I could've gotten this out sooner. I apologize. I hope you guys like it!**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 17 – Turnabout Guilty

_This is it. The last day of the trial. I've got to turn things around now; otherwise, Mr. Irving will be sent to jail! _

Judge: Court is now in session for the trial of Oliver Irving. Ms. Aaron, if you would provide the court with a recap of what has happened in the past two days of the trial.

Aaron: Of course, Your Honor. On the first day, we heard testimony from one Officer Mike Meekins, in which he explained the nature of the crime scene when he first arrived. He claimed to have seen the defendant leaning down near the victim. There would have been security footage in the mansion which confirmed this part of his testimony. However, due to the use of his megaphone, the security camera…broke.

Wright: (Someone needs to confiscate that thing from the guy. It'd do him and everyone within a one foot radius of him a huge favor…)

Aaron: Yesterday, we heard the testimony of one crucial witness, Ms. Winter Summers (**AN: I'm sorry, but it's an AA fic. I just **_**had **_**to add in the name puns!**), the cook at Mr. Sharpe's mansion. She claimed that Mr. Irving was in love with her, but that Mr. Sharpe also loved her. Knowing full well of Mr. Sharpe's intentions of marrying her, Mr. Irving resorted to murdering Mr. Sharpe in order to prevent him from doing such a thing.

Judge: And Mr. Wright managed to figure out that it was actually Ms. Summers who loved Mr. Sharpe and was planning to ask him to marry her.

Aaron: Exactly. Now, today, the prosecution would like to call the defendant to the witness stand.

Wright: (Good. Finally Mr. Irving can testify).

Aaron: Please state your name and occupation.

Irving: My name is Oliver Irving, and I am a butler…or rather, I was.

Aaron: Mr. Irving. Please do tell us about what happened the morning of the murder.

Irving: Of course.

1) _I went the mansion at 7:00 in the morning, as I usually do. _

2) _I entered through the kitchen and went into the living room._

3) _Mr. Sharpe is usually always there, reading the morning paper, but he wasn't that day._

4) _I then went into the main hall, and that's where I found Mr. Sharpe on the floor, dead!_

Judge: Hm…I see. Alright, Mr. Wright. You may begin your cross-examination.

Phoenix: Thank you, Your Honor. So, Mr. Irving. You said in your first statement that you got to the mansion at 7 AM. Why do you get there so early?

Aaron: Mr. Wright. I don't know about you, but I must say that for most of us. 7 AM is not really that early. In fact, I happen to get up at 5:30 in the morning every day. It's only on the weekends that I would get up a little later than that.

Wright: (Ugh…I guess that wasn't the best statement to cross-examine…)

Irving: Er…I get there early because Mr. Sharpe wakes up at around 6:30. He only needed me to be around when it was about 7. By then, he would have woken up and done everything he needed to up until it was breakfast time.

Wright: Okay then. You said you entered the kitchen. Why did you do that?

Aaron: Why not do that, Mr. Wright? Is there something abnormal about entering a house through the kitchen?

Wright: Most people would enter through the front door of a house.

Irving: Mr. Sharpe wasn't fond of having people who knew him or worked with or for him to enter through the front door because often times, many people who he didn't know would come and knock on his door. So he told us all to enter through the kitchen.

Wright: The kitchen door… it was locked?

Irving: Yes, it is.

Aaron: Ha ha…Mr. Wright. Why would the man have kept his kitchen door unlocked if he didn't want people to randomly come into his house?

Wright: (…I need to stop asking stupid questions, although I do appreciate that she's not using a condescending tone with me. Now, if she was Edgeworth on the other hand…)

Aaron: So…as Mr. Wright has deduced, the kitchen door was locked. I have a question myself for you, Mr. Irving. How many people had the key to this kitchen door?

Irving: Only two of us did. Myself, and Ms. Summers.

Wright: (The more I think about it, the more it seems like Ms. Summers could be the one who is the culprit…I should press his other statements to be sure though).

Judge: Mr. Irving. Please add this statement to your testimony. Mr. Wright. You may continue with your cross-examination.

Wright: Mr. Irving. You said you found Mr. Sharpe dead on the floor in his living room, correct?

Irving: That's right.

Wright: Please testify about the condition of the body and what you did.

Irving:

1) _I could smell something awful coming from the main hall, which led me to go in there._

2) _I saw Mr. Sharpe lying on the ground, unmoving. Ms. Summers came into the room as well._

3) _As we approached him, I saw that there was something protruding out of his body._

4) _I got closer to him and realized that it was a knife. At that point, Ms. Summers let out a scream._

Judge: Mr. Wright. Are you going to cross-examine this testimony?

Wright: Yes I am, Your Honor. Ahem. Mr. Irving. You said that you saw the victim on the ground. How was he positioned?

Irving: He was lying on his back, and his face was to the side. I could see his eyes wide open, but…he was dead, I could tell.

Wright: And he had a knife in him?

Irving: He did.

Wright: Do you recall what time it was that you found the body?

Irving: Actually, I can. I left the kitchen at 7:05 and immediately went to the living room. I spend exactly five minutes checking that everything is all ordered in the kitchen.

Judge: Mr. Wright. This testimony has gone far long enough. Unless you have evidence or a theory as to what happened that day, we'll be ending the cross-examination here.

Wright: Your Honor. I do have a theory to present. I still believe that my client, Mr. Irving, is innocent. But of course, someone had to have committed the act, didn't she?

Aaron: She?

Judge: She? Mr. Wright…are you suggesting that…

Wright: Yes I am, Your Honor. [Slams desk] The defense would like to call Winter Summers to the stand!

Aaron: Objection! Mr. Wright. It's fine if you want to call her to the witness stand, but please explain to us what purpose that would serve!

Wright: Certainly, Ms. Aaron. As we all can recall yesterday, Ms. Summers went into great detail about the dramatic love triangle the three individuals were involved in; however, you will also recall that Ms. Summers never actually informed us of her alibi. [Pulls out a paper]. According to this statement taken by the police, Ms. Summers claimed to have seen my client leaning down near the body and screamed. She claimed that this happened at 7 o'clock sharp; however, as we have heard from my client, this was not the case. I believe this contradiction must be further examined, and the only way to do so would be to…

Aaron: Call Ms. Summers to the witness stand. Very well. The prosecution has no objections Your Honor. Please call the witness to the stand again.

[Winter Summers brought to the stand]

Summers: What do you people want with me now?

Aaron: Ms. Summers. I assume you were present right now to hear what Mr. Wright had to say about your statement.

Summers: Oh yes I did. Ha, ha, ha! It's quite a sad thing, you know. I heard that you were some famous defense attorney who was good at finding the truth, and yet, it seems like you've decided to pin the crime all on little old me!

Wright:… (This woman…She sends out strange vibes.) Ahem. Anyway, Ms. Summers. Please testify about what exactly it was that you did on the day of the crime.

Summers: …

Wright: (Ugh…she just ignored me!)

Judge: Excuse me, witness? If you'd be so kind as to testify about what happened the day of the murder, and what you were doing.

Summers: Oh, why certainly. Anything you'd like!

Wright: (But she doesn't ignore the judge…I seem to have bad luck with the ladies…)

Summers:

1) _I went into the main hall once I got into Mr. Sharpe's mansion._

2) _That's when I saw that terrible sight!_

3) _Irving was leaning right near my poor Mr. Sharpe, touching the knife! _

4) _I screamed out loud in fright at what I saw! Oh my poor eyes!_

Judge: Very well. The defense may begin its cross-examination.

Wright: Ms. Summers. What time did you get to the mansion?

Summers: I got there at about 6:55. Unlike the butler, I like to get to work early.

Wright: (You only get there five minutes earlier than Mr. Irving. Certainly that isn't something worth bragging about…) Anyway…moving on, what did you do after that?

Summers: I was in the kitchen and I headed to the main hall.

Wright: And as you mentioned in your testimony, you saw the body of the victim.

Summers: Yes, but please…I don't like to think back to the moment when I saw my poor, poor Mr. Sharpe…

Wright: I would like to present some evidence which contradicts the witness's testimony.

Judge: Alright then. Please show us this evidence.

Aaron: You're…going to present the autopsy report, aren't you Mr. Wright?

Wright: [Nods] That's exactly what I'm going to do! Take that! [Looks at autopsy report] According to this report, the victim's estimated time of death was around 7:00, but the witness states to having seen the victim's dead body before the time of death!

Summers: !

Judge: Witness! You will explain yourself!

Summers: It…would seem that I made a slight error in the time I mentioned…

Judge: Well, Ms. Summers? Will you explain to us this inconsistency?

Summers: Well…I…can't really say…

Aaron: Witness. Please. You're on the witness stand. You are obligated to tell us.

Wright: (She looks pretty upset…maybe she's going to breakdown and tell us the truth).

Summers: The truth is…I…I…I was LATE!

Judge: Late? What do you mean?

Summers: Oh, it's such a shame! My poor Mr. Sharpe! I…didn't actually get to the mansion until 7:05. I was ten minutes late! Oh, how awful it was!

Wright: (She's freaking out because she was just ten minutes late? Hm…if Apollo and Athena were like that…)

Summers: I was late to get up in the morning, and that's why I was late getting to the mansion!

Aaron: Hm…we had the police check the traffic cameras. They should be able to confirm whether or not she's speaking the truth by checking to see if her car went by.

Summers: Oh, the horror! How could I have done something so awful! If I hadn't been late, I could've saved him. My beloved Mr. Sharpe!

Wright: (She is pretty annoying, but I have to admit, she does seem genuinely upset about the whole thing. Maybe she isn't really the one who took his life…)

Aaron: Ah. Here's the police report now. [Reads the paper] It states here that Ms. Summers's car was recorded to have gone by the traffic light right near Mr. Sharpe's residence at about 6:58, which means she couldn't have been the one to commit the crime, Mr. Wright.

Wright: I see…(If it wasn't her, then who was it?! Who could've…)

Aaron: I understand why you would like to believe that Mr. Irving is innocent, Mr. Wright; however, we cannot deny the fact that his fingerprints were indeed on the murder weapon. I would like to summon Mr. Irving to once more come to the witness stand. [Irving is escorted to the witness stand] Mr. Irving. It's obvious that you did have something to do with this crime. Are you covering up for someone? Is there someone you're trying to protect? We're here to uncover the truth, and help you accordingly. Now please, tell us the truth.

Irving: Your Honor. Ms. Aaron, Mr. Wright, everyone. I have a confession to make.

Judge: What is it?

Phoenix: (Oh no. I have a bad feeling about this…)

Irving: I…I admit to the crime. I was the one who killed Mr. Sharpe.

Judge:…WHAT?!

Aaron: You can't be serious!

Wright: Mr. Irving! But you told me…you told me you didn't…

Irving: I'm sorry, Mr. Wright. I…I didn't mean to lie to you. I…was going to admit my crime to you right then and there, but when I saw how determined you were to get me a not guilty verdict, I couldn't help myself…I thought I could possibly escape from going to jail, and reform my ways.

Wright: But…why? Why would you do something like that to your employer?

Aaron: What could possibly be your motive?!

Irving: The man was involved in some suspicious dealings. He…he was a shady character. I feared for Ms. Summers. Her infatuation with him was not…is not healthy. I didn't want to see her end up suffering. I tried to speak with Ms. Summers about her feelings for the man, and convince her that he was a bad man, but she refused to listen. What's worse was that Mr. Sharpe was leading her on. I worried about Ms. Summers. I didn't want her to get hurt. Finally, I confronted Mr. Sharpe himself when he brought up Ms. Summers. He got mad at me and said that I wouldn't get in his way. I…eventually realized that there was no other choice. I…I had to kill him. [He starts to cry.] I regret it all!

Wright: (I…can't believe this…)

Judge: Well, given that confession from the defendant, I see no need to further prolong this trial. I shall deliver my verdict.

Aaron: Hold it, Your Honor. Mr. Irving. Are you telling the truth?

Irving: Yes, I am. I'm sorry, Mr. Wright. I know how much you trusted me, how much you believed in my innocence, but…I can no longer continue on this act.

Judge: Alright then. The court finds the defendant…guilty.

* * *

Phoenix stood outside of the courtroom. _I can't believe Mr. Irving lied to me. Huh. Well, I guess it wouldn't be the first time, would it? _

"Mr. Wright?"

Phoenix turned to the voice. "Ms. A…I mean, Vicki. Congrats on your guilty verdict."

She frowned. "I'm sorry Mr. Wright. I…didn't want it to end up being this way."

He shrugged. "It's alright. Although I did believe in his innocence, what's important is that we unveiled the truth. Plus, a loss will do some good on my ego."

She smiled. "You certainly don't have an ego, Mr. Wright. But it was a pleasure battling with you in court. I can see how everyone was right about you. You're very good."

"Thank you, but I must say that you were quite good as well. I've got to get going to the office. See you, Vicki."

"See you soon, Mr. Wright."

* * *

"Mrs. Aaron. I heard about your victory in court. Congratulations."

The female prosecutor waved her hand. "It was nothing, Mr. Edgeworth. All I did was try to pursue the truth, and with Mr. Wright's help, we found it."

"So you did. You obviously have a great career ahead of you, Mrs. Aaron. I'll make sure to let you know when I have another case for you."

"Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth. I should get going now."

About a half an hour later, someone came into Edgeworth's office. "Hello Franziska. What brings you here?" Edgeworth didn't look up from his paperwork.

"Miles Edgeworth! What is this I hear about that new prosecutor?! She won against Phoenix Wright?!"

Edgeworth looked up at the prosecutor and smirked. "Yes, she did." _If I didn't know any better Franziska, I would think you were jealous…not that I would say that out loud. _

SNAP!

"Grk…"

"Wipe that foolish smirk off your face, Miles Edgeworth, and get that foolish thought out of your head. I, Franziska Von Karma, am never jealous of anyone!"

"Right. So what did you need?"

"I…just came to find out whether it was the truth. If this new prosecutor really did beat Phoenix Wright in court."

"Well, she helped Wright reveal the truth in court; however, in the process, I suppose you could say that she did beat him."

Franziska tightened her whip. "Hmph. You should've given me that case, you know. Why did you give it to a rookie?"

"Because she was quite eager to work, you were busy on your own case, and I wanted to test her abilities. I believe she will be quite the asset for the office, don't you?"

"Hmph. I suppose so." Franziska then muttered, "But had anyone been in her situation, the same thing would've occurred." She crossed her arms. "I best get back to work, as you should too, Miles Edgeworth. You have no time for idle chatter!" She marched out the door.

_Well, you were the one who came in here and started to speak to me. _He shook his head and went back to work.

* * *

_Hm…maybe this isn't such a good idea, but…I haven't seen him in so long! I'll just go in , say hi, and come out. Yeah…that's a good idea. _

Athena opened the door, only to see Simon speaking with a woman, who was laughing. _Who…who's this girl?! And why is she talking to Simon?! Why is she laughing? And is he smiling?! No, that's just his polite smile. Hm… _Athena scrutinized the woman._ She's wearing so much orange…she looks like…like…a pumpkin! Yeah! That's what I'll call her. A pumpkin!_

Athena gasped when Simon and the woman turned to look at her. "M…Ms. Aaron!"

"Oh, hello Athena!"

"Cykes-dono. What are you doing here?"

"I just came to visit you. See how you were doing, but I didn't realize you were meeting with someone. I'll come another time…"

"No, no. Athena, you can stay. I was actually just about to leave. It was nice chatting with you, Mr. Blackquill."

"The same to you, Ms. Aaron."

Athena smiled sweetly at the prosecutor as she left, but her smile turned upside down as she glared at the woman's retreating back.

"Cykes-dono. How long it's been since your presence has graced my office."

Athena's eyes nearly came out of their sockets. _Why is he in such a good mood? Could it be because of her?!_ _He's never usually glad to see me! _

"Oh…well, I've been busy, you know? Anyway, it seems like you finally got up on the right side of your bed for once."

"It seems I have, doesn't it?"

_His happiness…it's quite unnerving to be honest. _

"Why are you so happy?!"

He quirked an eyebrow at her and smiled. "Why am I happy? Oh, it's because you came here."

_What?! Wait. He…really wanted to see me?! _She smiled happily.

"It would've been a lot harder for me to seek you out in order to brag."

_Maybe he's realized how much he needs me in his life, and he'll finally confess his love for me…or…at least that he's attracted to me. _She processed what he had said then and frowned a little. "What do you mean by brag?" _Just when I thought things were going well…_

"Didn't you hear? That woman who just stepped out of here defeated Wright-dono in court today."

"So?" Athena shrugged, trying to maintain an air of nonchalance; however, on the inside… _Oh! I should've known he would do this! He's totally going to rub this in my face. Well…I guess this was my fault, since I chose to come here in the first place!_

"So? That's quite a feat right there, don't you think? I mean, the only person who was able to defeat him in court was Chief Prosecutor, and that was over seven years ago. She's quite impressive, I must say."

"She just did her job and discovered the truth, and coincidentally, it just so happens that Boss's client was guilty. There's no need to make a big deal out of it."

"I could say you're right, but to defeat Wright-dono, and that on her very first case, it's amazing."

_Okay, okay, I get it! Ms. Pumpkin is the best prosecutor there is, and she defeated Mr. Wright. You don't need to rub it in anymore!_

"Well, if you're done bragging, I need to go."

"Go? Where? Oh, to see your boyfriend? Of course. Who am I to stop you?"

Athena felt her face turn red in anger. She clenched her fists. _Calm down, Athena. You need to relax. I know you're upset about Mr. Wright's loss and Simon and Ms. Pumpkin, but you've got to control yourself. _Athena took in a deep breath and exhaled calmly. "I'll see you soon, Simon."

She walked out the door, and contemplated her next move. _Maybe I should pay my boyfriend a visit, hm? Maybe I can get my mind of that whole trial and her, and we could talk about our next date plan. _

Athena made her way to Prosecutor Gavin's office. She entered the office, and as she was shutting the door behind, she spoke rather loudly. "Hello there, my dear boyfriend!" As soon as the door shut, she spoke normally. "So Prosecutor Gavin. We need to plan our next 'date.'"

"Athena. We're 'dating,' aren't we? You should cut the formalities and call me Klavier, and we have plenty of time to discuss that. Now please, sit down."

Athena took a seat across from his desk, where he was sitting. _Finally, I can forget all about everything else and focus on my plan! _

"So…" Klavier grinned triumphantly. "Looks like one of my fellow coworkers finally brought defeat to Herr Wright."

"That's it! I've had enough of hearing about this! Come here you!" Athena sprang forward and grabbed Klavier's collar when the door opened.

* * *

"They…they arrested Mr. Irving."

"I know. I heard."

"Do you think they're…"

A heavy sigh was heard. "I don't know, but you better watch it, if you know what's good for you."

**The trial…I don't know if it went as well as I'd hoped. And as for Phoenix losing, well I figured it would be a change (I'll leave to you guys to decide whether it was good or bad) to have him actually lose a case, because besides the Matt Engarde case (and I guess the case where he gets disbarred), he's pretty much always won every case he takes. The story should be moving along at a bit of a faster pace now, I think. Please let me know what you think by reviewing and/or sending me a private message! **


	19. Ch 18: Turnabout Relationships

**Hey guys! Thank for waiting for this chapter! I kind of decided to include this chapter before the one I was previously working on. Anyway, heads up, it's mainly about Feenris and Cykesquill. **

******_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 18 - Turnabout Relationships

Phoenix was back at the office, sitting behind his desk. _I still can't believe that Mr. Irving committed the crime. How could that be? _He shook his head. _I shouldn't let this get to me. After all, I know from very personal experience that people aren't always what they seem. _There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Into the office walked Iris. She had a cup in her hand. "Here," she said quietly. "I figured you might like some coffee." She set the cup down on his desk.

"Oh…thanks Iris. That was nice of you." Phoenix grabbed the cup and drank the coffee. "Mm…just what I needed."

Iris smiled. She stood in front of his desk for a moment before she spoke up. "I…I wanted to say I'm sorry about the trial today."

Phoenix frowned, shaking his head. "It's alright. I'll get over it." _Eventually. _

She frowned too, holding a hand to her face. "I…I shouldn't have come today, to watch."

Phoenix looked up at her. _What does she mean? _

"It's probably because I was there that you…lost," she said softly.

"Oh no! I'm positive that's not it, Iris!" _She doesn't actually think that, does she? _

"I'm sorry, Phoenix."

"Don't be, Iris. It's not your fault I lost the trial." Phoenix looked down at the case file, which was open to the page where a picture of Mr. Irving was. "It just so happened that the truth was…that Mr. Irving really did murder Mr. Sharpe."

"I…never would've thought that that man would have done something like that. He seems so kind and gentle."

"Yeah, me neither. But I guess that just proves the point that people who act nice and innocent can also be murderers." Phoenix considered what he had just said. _Oh…that was a bad choice of words. _When he looked to Iris, she had her head down. _Ack! I made her feel bad. Come on Phoenix! Think of something else to talk to her about! _"So…how's everything going with your college plans?"

Iris was surprised to hear Phoenix speaking to her, but she answered him. "It's going quite well. Ms. Sterling was kind enough to speak to her coworker about me. She's even offered to help me with the application process."

Phoenix smiled. "Yeah, Serena's great like that. We've only known her for about half a year, but she's so helpful. You can always depend on her."

Iris nodded. "Where's Trucy?"

"She's still at school. She should be coming home in a couple of hours."

Silence enveloped the room again. Phoenix noticed that Iris was still standing there. "You can sit down in the chairs, you know?"

"Oh…okay." She sat herself down, looking down at her hands.

"Do you know what you're going to study at the university?"

"Hm? Oh…that. I'm not too sure yet."

_Hm…she seems hesitant to tell me. No matter. That's none of my business. _

"When do you plan to start?"

"If I can, I'd like to start this fall."

"That's good. So…what motivated you to take classes?"

She considered his question. "I…wanted learn more and become more aware of everything. Unfortunately, having lived at the temple for so long, I've come to realize that I'm not as…in touch with the world around me as I probably should be."

_I have to agree with you about that. _

"That's admirable. And it'll be great if you could get into Ivy U." Phoenix sighed. "I haven't visited the school since I graduated, but the place holds a lot of memories."

"What kind of memories?" Iris asked.

"Some bad ones," Phoenix answered. Iris's eyes were downcast, until he spoke up again. "But a lot more good ones."

Her eyes went up to Phoenix's face, and she was surprised to see him staring at her intently.

_Wow. She still looks just like she did all those years ago, back then. _

"Iris…" Their locked gaze was broken by the sound of the telephone. "Wright Anything Agency. This is Phoenix Wright…Yes?...I see…Alright. I'll head down there right now. Thanks for letting me know." He turned off the phone and spoke to Iris. "looks like my luck turned around. I've got another client waiting for me at the detention center."

Iris nodded. "Okay. Good luck."

Phoenix stood up and put on his jacket. Before leaving the room, he asked Iris, "Would you…like to come with me?"

"Me? I…well…if…if you don't mind."

Phoenix shrugged. "It's alright with me. I figured you might get bored if you stay here all by yourself." He motioned with his hand. "Come on."

_I need to try to make things less awkward between us. It'll probably help if we hung out more together._

* * *

Simon stood in the elevator as it went up. _I cannot believe I actually have to speak with that…pianoman I cannot begin to fathom what it is Athena sees in him…Perhaps it's his hair? His hair isn't as long as mine, but…it is shorter. _Simon touched his long ponytail. _Hm…No. It's probably something else. But why am I obsessing over it? It doesn't matter. If she's happy with…him…then I am happy too. _

He found himself standing in front of Klavier's door. He didn't realize that he was standing there until someone tapped his shoulder. "Oh. Skye-dono."

The detective smiled. "Mr. Blackquill. You here to see the glimmerous fop?"

"Don't you mean to say glamorous fop?" _Although, I must admit that is quite a fitting name for him. _

"Glimmerous, glamorous, same difference. The point is that he's a fop." She pouted and pulled out her bag of snackoos. "Snackoo?" She held one out to Simon, who looked at it with disdain.

"No thank you."

"Okay. Now are you going to open the door, or do I have to?"

"Please, allow me." Simon opened the door and gaped at the site he saw.

Ema was about to pop a snackoo into her mouth but dropped it in shock.

"Wh…what is going on in here?!" Ema cried out.

There was Klavier and Athena, both on opposite sides of his desk, their faces close. As if that wasn't a shock enough for Simon, he was completely paralyzed when he saw their lips meet.

* * *

"Wh…what is going on in here?!"

_That sounds like Detective Skye! _

Before Athena could turn around, Klavier pulled her towards him and smashed his lips against hers.

_WHAT IS HE DOING?! _

He held onto her tight as they kissed for a few seconds before he released her.

_What…just…happened? _

"You know, it's rather rude to enter someone's room without knocking," Klavier reprimanded.

_And you know? It's kind of really rude to just suddenly kiss a girl! _

Athena turned around, and she was horrified at what she saw. There, standing in the doorway, was not only Detective Skye, but…

"Simon."

Blackquill just stared at Athena, while Ema glared at Klavier.

"Seriously? What's going on between the two of you?!" Ema demanded.

"Calm down, Fraulein Detective. Athena and I are dating." He wrapped an arm around Athena's shoulders. "Isn't that right, Athena?"

"Er…right." _Oh no. Ema's glaring at me. And she has snackoos! She might snackoo me! _

The detective glared for a little while longer before she smirked. "Well, totally ignoring what just happened, I was asked to bring you these papers from the police department." Ema entered the office and dropped the papers on his desk. She then turned around to leave. "I'll let you two get back to what you were doing." With that, she left the room.

"Ah, Herr Blackquill. What is it that you need?"

Athena watched Simon. _He's mad…I can tell…Please say something Simon. Anything. _

"I just needed to speak to you about a case matter, but it can wait. I have something else I must do right at this moment. Excuse me." And he left.

Athena ran to the door and popped her head out of it. _He…left. What could he have been thinking when he saw what just happened? Was he jealous? I wish I knew! _Athena then remembered what had happened. She quietly shut the door, and turned slowly around, a death glare aimed at Prosecutor Gavin.

"You had better have a very good explanation as to what you just pulled there, and depending on what you say, I might spare you a few punches."

Klavier held up his hands defensively, a playful grin on his face. "No need to threaten me, Athena."

"Threaten you?! I should report you for harassing me! You kissed me!"

"It's not like I meant it, you know?"

"Then why kiss me?! Do you have feelings for me? Real feelings?"

Klavier seemed shocked by this accusation. "No, of course not."

"Yeah right. I could hear your heart sing in joy right once you kissed me."

"Well, then you have misinterpreted what you heard."

"Excuse me?! Do you know who you're talking to?! I can hear the voice of people's hearts! And your heart's saying that you like someone."

"Then I guess you're correct. I do like someone."

"Ha! I knew it!" Athena had a triumphant grin on her face, until she realized what that meant. "Wait. But that means you like me."

"I do like someone. This much is true, Fraulein Cykes; however, you are not the one I like, no offense to you."

"Trust me, there is no offense taken here." Athena thought for a moment. "Oh! I think I finally see things clearly now!" She looked at Prosecutor Gavin, a sneaky smile on her face. "You like Ema, don't you Klavier?" For the first time since she'd met him, Athena saw Klavier's tanned face turn red. "That explains a lot."

"It is true. I grown rather fond of Fraulein Detective. However, she does not return those affections. She still refers to me as the 'glimmerous fop.'"

_Gee, I feel kind of bad for him. He seems to be really taken by her. _

"So that's the real reason why you agreed to go with my plan, isn't it?"

"Yes. I hoped that maybe instilling jealousy in her might make her…well…like me." He pulled at a strand of his hair. "Most girls are fawning over me, asking me to be their boyfriend, much like you did." He laughed when he saw Athena's glare. "But she isn't like that. She doesn't worship the ground I walk on, which is rather refreshing, although I wish that didn't come with her great dislike of me."

"I thought you became a rockstar because you wanted women to look at you as you walked down the street?" _Although you didn't really need to become a rockstar to do that. _

"Ah yes. Herr Forehead must have informed you of this. While this is true, once I became a star, I came to understand that all of that attention…isn't always what you want. I'd much rather have just her attention than that of millions of girls."

_So he wants to make Ema jealous and possibly come to terms with her feelings, if she has any. Sounds awfully familiar…_

"Wow. You're…kind of on the same boat as me, huh?" Athena tapped on her earring. "You know what? I think maybe this'll work out. Even if I don't get together with Simon, I'll make sure you and Ema get together!"

"Thank you, Athena. I appreciate your willingness to help me out."

She smiled and patted his shoulder. "It's the least I can do."

PUNCH!

Klavier held his cheek. "What…what was that for?!"

"Remember what I told you before? I said that 'you had better have a very good explanation as to what you just pulled there, and depending on what you say, I might spare you a few punches.'"

"But I already gave you my explanation. Wasn't it good and honest enough?!"

"Oh yes, it was. But recall the last part of the statement. I just said I wouldn't give you as many punches. I didn't say I would refrain from punching you." Athena smiled triumphantly once more.

**So I finally learned what the ship name is for Klavier and Ema: Klema. I love it! Absolutely love it! But that doesn't mean I'm shipping them. Just a fun little thing I thought I'd add. I hope you guys liked this chapter. The next chapter will take place probably a month later. Please feel free to leave me a review or private message me. Thanks!**


	20. Ch 19: Turnabout Presents

**This chapter is super long! I don't know if you guys will like it all that much, but I hope you do!**

**********_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

_**Background:**_

_**So a month has gone by since the last chapter. Phoenix has worked on a few cases (and won them). Athena and Apollo are also working hard on cases, when they have them that is. Pearls has left to go back to school, and Iris is still in the process of applying to Ivy University, although she did go back to Hazakura temple for a few days. **_

_**As for our characters in the Prosecutor's office, they're all also busy working on cases. **_

Chapter 19 – Turnabout Presents

"Man, I really wish we had a case to work on," Athena moped. She and Apollo were sitting in the office with nothing to do.

"Yeah. Mr. Wright is lucky enough to have a case to work on. If only he could've invited me to come help him."

"Why should he invite you?! He should be bringing me with him!" Athena argued.

"Either way, we both need to find something to do. If Mr. Wright comes in and sees us just sitting here, you know what he's going to make us do."

Athena groaned. "But we already cleaned the toilet. Each of us, two times!"

"Well, while I try to think of something productive to do, how are things going with you? I feel like after those couple of cases we each had, I haven't been able to talk much with you."

"Oh, things are alright."

"What about your relationship with Prosecutor Gavin?"

Athena crossed her arms. "That…well…it's not going along too badly, but…I don't know. I'm not so sure the plan is working. I haven't really talked to Simon since that little event that happened at the Prosecutor's Office last month."

Apollo smiled. "You mean when you and Prosecutor Gavin kissed?"

"Really Apollo? Would it kill you to shut your mouth?! I don't like to think about it."

"Well excuse me. It's because of you that I got snackooed by Ema so many times! She almost hit my eye, and now she's even grumpier than ever! As if it wasn't hard enough to work with her before then, now she's practically impossible to be around!"

"Yeah, but that isn't really my fault. You can blame Prosecutor Gavin for pulling me towards him and kissing me!" Athena sighed. "You know, speaking of Simon…"

"You were talking about Prosecutor Gavin just now."

"I should go and pay him a visit." She smiled and stood up, then turned to Apollo. "Hey. Have you seen Junie lately?"

"Yeah. The two of us are going to meet up tomorrow to go out and buy presents."

"Presents? Oh yeah! That's right! I almost completely forgot! As soon as I'm done visiting Simon, I'll head to the store and do just that!"

* * *

Athena opened the door to Prosecutor Blackquill's office. She frowned immediately upon entering. _He…isn't in here. _As she made her way further into the room, the door behind her opened once more. She spun around to see who it was. _Well, well, well, if it isn't Ms. Pumpkin Prosecutor. Still wearing orange, as bright as a pumpkin I see. The question is what is she doing here in Simon's office?! _

"Ah, hello Athena! It's been a while."

"Yes, it has," Athena smiled politely. "How are you, Ms. Aaron?"

"Oh, I'm doing well. Are you here to see Simon?"

Athena could feel her eye twitch a little. "Yes, I am here to see him." _Who are you to call him by his first name?! The only person who can do that is me…Okay. Maybe not me, but definitely his sister! _

"I heard you won some of the cases you took on in court. Congratulations."

Athena waved her hand in the air. "All in a day's work."

"I hope to be able to work with you some time in court soon, Athena."

"So do I!" _So that I can crush you in defeat with my analytical psychology skills. _

They both looked to the door which once again opened, and this time, Prosecutor Blackquill came in.

"Ah hello there Vicki." His eyes darkened significantly when they landed on Athena. "Cykes-dono."

"Hello Simon. I had something I needed to bring you, and I didn't want to leave it here in your office unattended."

_If I wasn't so in shock, I would've definitely made a nasty face at that comment. She could've just given it to me. _

"Although, now that I think about it, I could've just handed them to Athena here."

…_Never mind. _

"No, no. That wouldn't do at all." He accepted the papers from his coworker. "Thank you very much."

"No problem. I'll see you later. Bye Athena." With that, the prosecutor left the room. Athena stood there, her mouth gaping open while Simon walked swiftly passed her and went to sit behind his desk. She rotated herself so that she was facing him, and finally found her voice.

"You…you…cut your hair?" She asked slowly.

Indeed he had. Gone was his long ponytail. _He looks almost exactly like he did back then, save for the white hair and dark outlines under his eyebrows. _

"Yes I did. Vicki was the one suggested that I do so."

Before she could stop herself, Athena blurted out. "What's your relationship with her?!"

Simon looked up, his brows creased. "What do you mean?"

"Her? What's going on between the two of you? Are you guys…an item?"

Simon smiled. _Oh please say no, please say no, please say no. _"No."

_Yes, thank goodness! _

"But why should that matter to you, Cykes-dono? Aren't you in a relationship with Gavin-dono?"

_Since when does Simon refer to Klavier with respect? Oh. Maybe it's Mr. Edgeworth's doing. _

"What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't be you frittering you time away with your boyfriend in his office?"

"Excuse me? Just because I'm dating someone doesn't mean I have to spend 24 hours with him."

"Well, given that spectacle in his office, I figured that in a month's time, your relationship would've progressed to that point."

_Hm…is that…jealousy I sense in his voice? Yes, I think I do. _"You're jealous, aren't you Simon?"

"Balderdash! What gave you such a cockamamie idea?!"

"I can hear the voice of your heart, Simon. Admit it. I know you like me. Why deny your feelings?"

"I am not denying feelings that don't exist, Cykes-dono."

_Playing hard to get, hm? Well, that's not going to stop me! _

"Oh yeah? Then why did I see you lurking in the shadows at Trucy's magic show two weeks ago?"

Simon was looking through some papers on his desk, avoiding eye contact with Athena. "You saw no such thing."

"Yes, I did, and so did Trucy. By the way, she was really glad that you came to the show. She wanted me to tell you that when I saw you."

"Well, I must admit that she's quite talented."

"That's our Trucy for you!" Athena said proudly. "Hey! Don't distract me! I know you're always watching over me, Simon! Every time I'm at a crime scene, you just happen to be there, for the most random reasons."

"Is that so? Name one."

"Gladly! When I was investigating that murder at Gourd Lake, you were there, and what reason did you give me? You said you were there to see Gourdy. As if that's why you were there!"

Simon grimaced. "Hmph."

_Even he knows how pathetic that sounds. That's why he isn't arguing. _

"And it wasn't even just the crime scenes! I was at that restaurant called Tres Bien with Prosecutor Gavin, Apollo and Junie, and who else was there? You! And when Apollo asked you what you were doing there, you said you wanted to try out some of their food! What a lame excuse!"

"Now how could that possibly be an excuse?! It's perfectly fine for someone to go into a restaurant with a desire to try out their food."

"Now, see. I wouldn't have brought that up…but you didn't eat a single thing when you went there! You didn't even drink the water they placed in front of you! All you did was just sit there watching the four of us. Don't even think of trying to deny it! I saw you watching us, and that poor waiter. Every time he asked you if you needed something, you just told him to 'stop jabbering.'"

"Well…I still don't see how all of that proves your point."

"I see how it is. Okay then. Either you were following me around to see what I was doing and watch over me because of your feelings for me, or you're stalking me." She watched Simon's eyes widen. "And if the latter's the case, then it seems like I'll have to change my plans and visit a certain Chief Prosecutor after I leave here."

_There. Now he should tell me all about how he feels for me. _

"Alright. You want an explanation. I'll give you one. You really want to know why I'm constantly following you around and watching over you?"

"Yes, I do."

He nodded. "Then I shall tell you. I take care of you because you were Dr. Cykes, my mentor's, most valued treasure, not because of the nonexistent feelings I have for you. It would be the utmost disgrace to her if I didn't protect you."

Athena's eyes widened. _I…I…I can't…he's serious. I can tell. _She stared long and hard at him. _I knew it. I always knew it. I was just never ready to face it. It wasn't about me. It never was. It's always about my mother, his mentor. That's the only reason he even tolerates me. What a fool I am. _

Athena's arms were down by her sides, and she clenched her fists. Turning her head away, she spoke firmly to him. "Well, for you information, Prosecutor Blackquill, I'm not a child anymore. I'm grown up now, okay? I can take care of myself perfectly fine, so I don't need you to look after me anymore."

"What nonsense are you spouting off now?"

"It isn't nonsense. Do us both a favor, and leave me alone, okay? I don't ever want to see you again." Athena made her way to his door to leave, when it opened to reveal Edgeworth.

"Ms. Cykes."

"Mr. Edgeworth. Please excuse me." Athena rushed off, with Edgeworth watching her from the doorway.

Athena didn't wait for the elevator. She ran down the stairs back to the lobby and out of the office. She just ran and ran until her legs could take her no further. She found herself at Gourd Lake, standing right near the shore.

_Why? Why did I not realize it before? Wasn't the reason he tolerated me all those years ago because he was being loyal to my mother? _She looked out to the lake. "Mom. I know Simon's trying to fulfill his duty to you, and that makes me happy, but…why can't he have feelings for me? Why can't he protect me because he wants to protect me?" She shook her head. "No matter. I'm stronger than that! I can get over him. I know I can. I have to." She checked her watch. "Hm…maybe I should go look for that present I needed to buy." As Athena began jogging back to town, she vowed to herself. _I will get over the twisted samurai._ _I won't let my feelings for him interfere with me anymore._

* * *

_Oh dear. What am I going to do about this? _Edgeworth eyed the purple envelope in his hands. Phoenix had come into his office to give it to him a few weeks ago. _A surprise birthday party for Trucy. I'm curious as to how they plan to pull it off without her figuring it out. _Edgeworth sighed. _I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea to go. I'm sure she would appreciate that, but…what will I do about a gift? _

Edgeworth looked up at the building he was standing in front of. He was coming back from having spoken to Prosecutor Blackquill at the office. He placed the invitation into his pocket and entered the store.

He walked through numerous sections until he reached the toy section of the store. There, he was greeted with a whole bunch of toys. Actions figures, teddy bears, dolls, the works.

_Oh…All of these bright colors…they're going to give me headache. _

Shaking his head, he began walking when he bumped into someone.

"Goodness! I'm so sorry…oh, Mr. Edgeworth!"

"Ah, hello Ms. Sterling. Please, don't apologize. I wasn't looking where I was going." _Hm. I wonder what business she has here. _

"No, no. I wasn't looking either."

A store worker came by and smiled at the two of them. "Excuse me? Could I be of any assistance to you?"

Just then, through the speakers of the small store, a song began to play. "Go! Go! Keep on fighting, until your last breath! Go, my hero, the Steel Samurai!"

Serena looked up. "What is that music?"

"Why, it's the Steel Samurai theme song of course!"

She turned to look at the store worker who had spoken up, brows furrowed, shaking her head. "Steel Samurai? What is that?"

He gasped. "You…you don't know who the Steel Samurai is?"

She was taken aback. "N…no. Is he some kind of wrestler or something?"

"No way! The Steel Samurai is Hero of Neo-Olde Tokyo! Have you seriously never heard of him?"

"Should I have heard of him?"

"Anyone who keeps up with society knows about him!"

"Is that so? Well, obviously I don't keep up with society then."

The store worker gawked at her and then shook his head. "You're one sad woman." He walked away.

She was shocked at the response. "I…" She turned to Edgeworth. "Mr. Edgeworth. Do you know about the Steel Samurai?"

"Well, I don't know much about it myself, but the hero of _The Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo_ is the Steel Samurai, and his goal is to defeat the Evil Magistrate. It's a show geared towards kids, however its high production values and riveting plot draws a number of adults as well. Spin-offs like _Pink Princess: Warrior of Little Olde Tokyo_ and _The Nickel Samurai _along with the deluge of merchandise, and even a new stage show, gives it presence. They're supposedly reviving the series this year." (**AN: Yeah, so I literally copied the whole explanation that Edgeworth gives to Detective Gumshoe in Ace Attorney Investigations, as well as the theme song. So Capcom gets complete and total credit for that. Just wanted to note that.**)

He pointed to a plush doll that was nearby. "That's the Steel Samurai."

She picked up the Steel Samurai plushie and regarded it carefully. "Hm…somehow, I'm not so sure Trucy would like this present much."

_Trucy…hm, could she be shopping for a present for her too? _"Ahem. Ms. Sterling. If you don't mind my asking, would you happen to be here shopping for Trucy's birthday present?"

"Actually, I am. Is that why you're here, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Yes."

She nodded her head. "But honestly, I don't know what to get her."

"I'll admit that I haven't a clue either. I'm not exactly used to getting people gifts."

"I just don't know what teenagers like these days. I mean, I could get her something magic-themed, but I'm not sure. It should be something different, yet meaningful."

"Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to look together for a present, so that we don't end up purchasing the same present for her?"

"Oh…um…sure. I guess you do have a point there."

They were walking through the large toy section.

_This must be the largest section in this whole store. I'm sure of it. _

"So, that's the Steel Samurai?" Serena pointed to a huge display that had all kinds of merchandise from the series. Lunchboxes, backpacks, action figures, clothes, everything.

"Yes, that's right. You've never actually heard of the Steel Samurai, Ms. Sterling?" _That's rather hard to believe. _

"Not that I know of…although," she tapped her chin. "Now that I think I about it, that's right!"

_So she has heard of it. _

"I've seen him on some of the stickers we hand out to the kids at the ER, but…that's the extent of what I know about it."

_Well…it would seem she really doesn't keep up with society. And I thought I was the one who was behind. _

"Trucy's going to be turning 17 this year, right? Maybe getting her a toy might not be the best idea," Serena reasoned.

"Yes, I agree. We should go somewhere else."

They went to the section of the store where there were glassworks and items made of crystal.

Serena examined the crystal pieces while Edgeworth was looking at the different glass items. His eyes landed on a tea set. It was white with a flower design. The teapot's top had a small heart-shaped handle and on the pot itself there was an image of some pink and crème-colored flowers, along with a few other things. The four teacups also had flowers had a matching flower design on them, and each had a word written in elegant script on them. They said, joy, faith, hope, and love. There was a creamer, a sugar bowl, saucers for the cups, a tray and golden spoons, all of which had the flower theme. (**AN: This is a bad description, I know. I'm sorry!**)

_This is quite a fine tea set, I must say._ He picked up the teapot and examined it carefully.

She saw him looking at a tea set. "Oh. That's not a bad idea."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I'm sure she'd like a tea set."

"Oh…I didn't consider that idea."

"Oh. Were you going to buy it for yourself?"

"What made you think that?" He countered quickly, becoming defensive.

"No reason. Just a thought. There's no problem with that."

He held the teacup in hand, then shot a sideways glance at her. "You… really think she would like this?"

She shrugged. "I think she would."

Edgeworth looked back at the teacup and continued his thorough examination of it, the corners of lips turned downward and a contemplative look on his face. _Hm…I feel a pair of eyes watching me. _

He noticed that Serena was indeed watching him. "Is something the matter, Ms. Sterling?"

She shook her head. "No. It's nothing like that. I was just thinking…You seem to frown a lot, don't you?"

"I…er…I suppose I do. Is that a problem?"

"You know, Mr. Edgeworth? If nothing else, there is one thing that suits everyone."

_Is this a riddle of some sorts? _"And what might that be?"

"A smile."

_This must be her way of saying I should smile more. _

"Hmph. Does it now?" Edgeworth returned his attention to the tea set. Making up his mind, he found the box containing the tea set. "It seems like I'm all set then. Have you found something, Ms. Sterling?"

"Yes I have actually." She held up a box, and Edgeworth saw on the display that it was crystal teddy bear. It had a little top hat on its head and it was holding what looked like a wand. At the tip of the wand was a crystal red heart. (**AB: I actually have one of these! It's really cute!**)

"That's a nice present."

"I just thought it was so adorable, and it reminds me of Trucy."

_Adorable? Not sure if I can agree with that, but I will admit it does reminds me of her as well. _

"We better head to the counter."

There was one counter open, as the store was virtually empty. Edgeworth was leading the way, but when they got there, he stepped aside. "After you, Ms. Sterling."

"Oh…thank you." She walked up to the counter and placed her item down.

"Hello," the cashier, a young man, greeted her, looking down at his phone before he put it away.

"Hi." She turned away a little and pulled out her purse while the guy scanned the box. She pulled out her credit card and swiped it.

"This might take a few minutes. Our machine is kind of slow."

She nodded and turned away. Edgeworth noticed that the man was watching her carefully.

"Hey," the cashier said, smiling.

She looked around before she directed her eyes to him. She had a small frown on her face. "Yes. Is something wrong?"

"No, no. I was just…well…You're so beautiful that you made me forget my pickup line," he said suavely.

Her eyebrows went up. "Excuse me?"

"Wait, no. I remember it now." He leaned across the counter "If I received a nickel for every time I saw someone as beautiful as you, I'd have five cents."

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

"I'm flirting with you, duh! Come on. How about you give me your number, and we could hang out together, hm?" He winked at her as he placed the receipt on the counter for her.

_What a bad-mannered boy! Frothing over a woman so! What has become of our youth?! _Edgeworth's eyes shifted to Serena.

She crossed her arms defiantly and grimaced, her eyebrows furrowed. "And just what, might I ask, gave you the impression that I'd be interested in giving you my number and hanging out? For all you know, I could be married and this item I'm buying could be a present for my daughter!"

"Oh come on. You can't be married. You aren't wearing a ring, and with a figure like yours, there's no way you could have had a baby."

Her eyes flashed. "Everyone who's married wears their wedding rings, right? And you know? I find it quite rude of you to speak of my figure. Here's a word of advice from an elder. Take it for what it's worth. Don't flirt with your customers. It's quite unprofessional, not to mention really disturbing." She took the receipt and her purchase and marched out of the store.

_Well…she dealt with that quite well. I must say I'm impressed._

The cashier was obviously shocked. He then turned to Edgeworth, a frown on his face. "Next." Edgeworth placed his items on the counter.

The guy shook his head as he scanned the tea set. "Girls, huh?"

Edgeworth shook his head a little. "What about them?"

"They're so demanding."

"Hmph." Edgeworth crossed his arms. "It's rather unbecoming of a gentleman to aimlessly flirt with women."

The cashier rolled his eyes. "Forget I asked old man."

_Why I! I am not an old man!_

* * *

"Have you decided what you're going to get Trucy, Phoenix?"

"Er…well…not really. I've been so busy planning out the party and how we're going to surprise her, that it kind of slipped my mind. How about you, Iris?"

"I…well…I don't know if she'll like it."

"Come on. I'm sure she will. Tell me. What is it?"

"It's…not finished yet."

"Can I at least see what you've got done so far?"

Iris hesitated, but then reached into her bag and pulled out purple sweater with a pink heart on it. Inside the heart in blue was the name Trucy.

"Wow Iris. This is amazing!" Phoenix held it then looked at her. "You made this all by yourself, didn't you?" She nodded. "I see you've still got your knitting and sewing skills after all these years. I know for sure that Trucy will love it!"

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I do. When she was little, I'd let her wear my pink sweater sometimes. She really loves that one."

"You mean…the one I made you?"

"Yes."

Iris smiled. "You…you still have it?"

Phoenix's eyebrow went up. "Of course I do. Did you think I threw it away?"

"Er…well…I thought maybe you did."

"No way. It's…too precious to me to throw it away."

They stared at each other before looking away.

"Um…so…who's going to be attending the party?" Iris asked curiously.

"Well, Athena and Apollo are definitely coming. And so is Juniper Woods. I figured I'd invite Prosecutor Gavin too, since Trucy likes him so much. Not that I mind him either. There's Trucy's friend Jinxie Tenma. Pearls is coming too, along with Maya. They said they wouldn't miss her birthday for the world."

Iris's smiled broadened. "They would say that."

Phoenix nodded. "And then Ema is coming, although I sort of conveniently forgot to mention that Prosecutor Gavin is going to be there, so hopefully things won't go too bad. And who else? Hm…Oh! Right! Edgeworth should be coming, along with Serena."

"Ms. Sterling?" Iris asked. "Ah, I see."

"Yeah. I haven't known her for too long, but she's really nice, and she cares about Trucy a lot too."

Iris nodded, sitting there silently. "Does she come here to visit a lot?"

"She'll swing by once in a while to see how we are, although she's usually pretty busy working at the ER. Her dedication is inspiring. If only more people were like her."

Iris didn't respond.

_She seems a bit down in the dumps. I wonder what's going on? _

A knock was heard on the door. "Come in."

"Hello Phoenix. Ms. Fey."

"Serena! We were just talking about you. Please sit down."

She sat down next to Iris. "I can't stay for long, but I just wanted to come by ask you about Trucy's birthday."

"Sure. What is it?"

"I was out present shopping for Trucy, and I got this present for her." She handed him silver gifted-wrapped box. "I can't trust myself to remember to bring this the day of the party, so I figured I would bring it here now."

"Oh wow. Thanks Serena. But you didn't have to get her a present you know."

She shook her head. "I insist. Also, I just wanted to make sure that should something come up and I couldn't make it that she would get it."

"Thank you. I appreciate that. That's pretty proactive of you."

She smiled, then turned to Iris. "So Ms. Fey. How's the application process coming along for you?"

"It's alright, thank you."

"I was thinking. Maybe I could bring you to my office at the ER and help you out with all of that. I did promise to help after all."

"Oh. Well, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate that very much, thank you."

"It's no problem for me. How about you call me and tell me what a good day and time would be for us to meet?"

"That sounds fine. Ms. Sterling. Thanks."

"Yeah, thanks Serena. You're a lifesaver. I don't think there's a better person to help her than you."

She waved her hand. "That's not true, but I'm happy to help." She checked her watch. "I really need to get home now. I'll see the two of you soon I hope. Bye."

She left the office, and Phoenix sighed. "Man, she's something." Iris stood up. "Where are you going Iris?"

"I need to work on my gift for Trucy, so I'll be heading back to my apartment. See you." Before he could stop her, she went out the door.

_Well….that was odd. Hm. I shouldn't worry about it. Right now, what I do need to worry about is what kind of present I'm going to get Trucy. _

**This is a pretty long chapter here. I hope you guys didn't get too bored out of your heads with Edgeworth and the OC! I was considering adding some Juniepollo, but this chapter is long enough. (But never fear! They should be in the next chapter!) The next chapter's going to be about Trucy's birthday. Things are going to get a little more complicated pretty soon. Please feel free to review or private message me. Thanks!**


	21. Ch 20: Turnabout Birthday

**Ugh. I'm not so sure that last chapter was very good. I know it was kind of downer for my fellow Cykesquillers, but don't let things discourage you! You never know what could happen, hm?**

**************_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 20 – Turnabout Birthday

_I can't believe my stupid alarm clock had to die today, of all days! Mr. Wright's not going to be happy if I'm late getting to the agency!_

The day of Trucy's party finally came, and Apollo was running late.

Apollo scrambled around his apartment, getting ready to head over to the Wright Anything Agency.

He opened the door to the office and saw that only Phoenix and Athena were there.

_Great! I'm early! That's a relief. _

But Phoenix had his arms crossed, and he stared hard at Apollo. "Apollo. Did you forget what time you were supposed to be here?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Wright! My alarm clock kind of died on me this morning, but it looks like I'm early."

"Yeah, early enough that you didn't have to put up all of the decorations and set up everything. Luckily, Athena got here early enough, so the two of us ended up doing it together. But you have something you need to do right now, Apollo," Phoenix said.

"What's that?" Apollo thought hard, and his face fell. "Oh no. Mr. Wright…" He began to whine.

"Hop to it, Apollo. That toilet isn't going to clean itself!"

"Gr…"

One toilet cleaning later…

"Whew! That went by quicker than I thought." He looked up at the clock. "Hm…11 o'clock. Just enough time to sit down and relax." He plopped down on the couch and shut his eyes. Just before he dozed off, someone yelled in his ear.

"Apollo!"

"Ack!" Apollo got up with a start. He saw Athena standing there, hands on her hips. "What's the big idea, Athena?! Couldn't you see I was trying to get a little rest?!"

"Apollo. Look around this room and tell me what's missing."

_Uh oh. She looks mad. I must've forgotten something else I had to, but what? _Apollo did as he was told, but he couldn't find anything. He shrugged. "I don't think there's anything. What's missing?"

"Not what. Who!"

"Who? Well, Trucy isn't supposed to be here yet, and none of the guests are here, so who are you…" Apollo gasped. "Oh no."

"Oh no is right! You were supposed to go pick up Junie! How could you do this to her?! Make a poor girl wait for you like that!"

Apollo shook his head. "I honestly didn't mean to forget. I was so hyped up at getting here to the agency, that it must've slipped my mind." He laughed sheepishly.

"Some boyfriend you are!" She shook her head. "Guys. They're all the same." She pointed at the door and yelled, "Now go get her! NOW!"

"Alright, alright! I'm going." _Geez, she seems to be getting angrier and angrier with each passing day! _

Apollo headed out the door before Athena had the chance to kick him out.

* * *

Athena sighed heavily as Apollo left the office. She was there alone now, since Phoenix had to go pick up Maya, Pearl, and Iris from the apartment and bring them to the office before Trucy came along.

_I just hope Jinxie will be able to distract Trucy long enough so that we can get this place completely ready for her. _

She looked around the office. There was a big banner on the wall that read, "Happy Birthday Trucy!" in purple letters. Balloons of various colors were touching the ceiling. A small pile of presents were at the corner of the room, and some of the food was set out on the table.

_I hope she likes this. From what Mr. Wright said, this is the first surprise party Trucy has ever had. _

Someone knocked on the door. "Come in." Athena was hoping it was Mr. Wright with the girls, but it turned out to be Prosecutor Gavin.

"Ah, Athena. Hello there."

Athena sighed. "Hello Prosecutor…I mean, Klavier."

"How goes things with you?"

"Oh, great! So what do you think of the place?"

Klavier looked around. "It's very nice. I'm sure our little Fraulein will love it."

"So Klavier. What did you get Trucy for her present?"

"It's…something."

That's when Athena noticed that he was carrying a black guitar case with him. "What's with the guitar?" She pointed to the case.

"Ah, this is one of my guitars. It's got a Red Badger on it."

"Red Badger? Oh, it's supposed to be related to the police-force, right? I know they've got some weird Badger theme going on."

Klavier nodded. "I decided that I would perform a song for our little Fraulein."

Athena clasped her hands together and smiled. "Oh that's going to be wonderful! She'll love it! She is a big fan of the Gavinners, you know."

Klavier chuckled, pulling at a lock of his hair. "I know that."

_And there's his pompous attitude. I really hope someone gets here soon. I really don't want to be alone with him._

Athena's wish was granted when someone knocked on the agency's door. "Come in!" She called out happily.

"Mr. Wright, I…" The person stopped in the doorway.

_Oh no. Why her? Anyone else would've been fine. Anyone but her._

Athena sighed. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Apollo rushed to get to Junie's house, and when he got there, she was standing outside patiently. She waved at him as he ran up to her.

"I am so sorry I'm late! My alarm clock stopped working, and I needed to help Mr. Wright at the agency to get ready for Trucy's party…"

Juniper just laughed. "It's alright Apollo. I understand. I'm just glad that you're here now." She clasped her hands in front of her and frowned. "I was starting to get worried that something may have happened to you."

Apollo chortled, holding a hand behind his head. "Well, I'm alright, so no need to worry. Now, are you ready to head out?"

"I sure am. Let's go."

The two of them walked all the way to the office. On the walk over, they talked a little bit.

"So, what did you get for Trucy?" Apollo asked his girlfriend.

"Oh, I got her this wonderful gardening kit that I stumbled across. You can plant flowers, fruits, vegetables, everything! Do you think she'll like it?"

Apollo smiled. "Trucy will like pretty much anything, and I'm sure she'd especially enjoy gardening. I think I remember her mentioning once that she wanted to try it out. It'd be nice thing to distract her from her magic, even if it's just temporary."

Juniper nodded her head. "And what about you? What did you get her?"

"Me? Er well…I don't think it's a very good present."

"Come on, you can tell me!"

Apollo's face turned red as he explained his present to Juniper. "I guess I can. I made her this stuffed bunny at Build-A-Bunny Workshop. I gave it a beating heart, a little magic sounds in its paws. I dressed it up in a magician's outfit, and got a few other outfits and accessories for it too." (**AN: I didn't want to use Build-A-Bear Workshop just because, so I decided to change it to bunny. I don't own either them.**)

"Polly! That's such a cute present! I know for sure that Trucy will love it! You're such a great person!"

"Heh, heh, heh." Apollo laughed, his red face only becoming redder.

"You seem to be kind of like an older brother to her, now that I think about it."

_An older brother, hm? Well, I guess I kind of am like an older brother to her. But then…that would make me kind of Mr. Wright's son…_Apollo considered the idea. _He is my boss, but…I guess he is kind of like a dad to me, somehow. At least, he's the first father-like figure I've ever really had. Hm…_

"Apollo? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, it is. I was just doing some serious thinking, that's all." They found themselves in front of the Wright Anything Agency.

Apollo opened the door, let Juniper walk in, and shut it behind him. He stood next to Juniper and found quite the site. Ema was pelting snackoos at Prosecutor Gavin.

_Hm…where's Athena? _He searched all around the office and quickly spotted something yellow briefly behind the couch. Juniper headed over there to her.

"Hey you guys! Knock it off!" Apollo yelled. He smiled. _Well, looks like skipping out on my daily chords of steel exercise this morning hasn't caused an issue for me. _He then frowned when Ema glared at him, a snackoo in hand.

"Who are you to yell at me?!"

She threw a snackoo right at Apollo's face, but lucky for him, he ducked.

Ema, however, wasn't so lucky when the door had opened and someone was walking in.

* * *

_I guess it's alright if I'm a little early. _Edgeworth knocked on the door to the Wright Anything Agency. He then heard some kind of commotion behind the door. Eyebrows furrowed, he grabbed the doorknob and opened the door, only to have a flying projectile hit him square in the nose.

He had closed his eyes instinctually, and when he opened them, he found Prosecutor Gavin trying to hold in laughter, Athena and another young lady behind the couch, and on the ground near him was Apollo. In the middle of the room stood Ema Skye. In one hand she was holding a bag of snackoos, and the other one covering her mouth. She was horrified.

"M…Mr. Edgeworth!"

"Ahem. Detective Skye."

"I…am…so sorry, sir!"

"Hmph. It's alright, although I do have to ask you why you are throwing food at people? It's not very becoming of a young lady such as yourself."

"I know Mr. Edgeworth, but he!" She pointed to Klaver. "He provoked me!"

Klavier laughed. "Me? Provoke you? Please, Fraulein Detective." He addressed Edgeworth. "Herr Edgeworth. Please forgive her on my behalf. It is only in her nature to do such things."

"Gr…" Ema glowered at him, a hand in her snackoo bag.

Apollo quickly went to her side and confiscated the bag from her. "Hey!"

"Sorry Ema. But you're not getting these back until after the party is over. There's plenty of other food here for you to snack on, but please, don't start a food fight. The last thing any of us need is for this place to be a mess for when Trucy comes."

Ema crossed her arms and grumbled in the corner of the room. Seeing this, Apollo went over to Athena. "Hey. How about you talk to her?"

"Me? Talk to her?! I can tell that she doesn't like me, Apollo. Sorry, but there's no way I'm going to take that risk."

"Fine, fine. Hey Juniper. Come on. I want to introduce you to Mr. Edgeworth."

Juniper followed Apollo to the Chief Prosecutor. "Mr. Edgeworth."

"Yes, Mr. Justice?" _Who's this young lady with him? _

"I thought I might introduce the two of you. Juniper, this is Mr. Miles Edgeworth. He's the Chief Prosecutor. And Mr. Edgeworth, this here is my girlfriend, Juniper Woods. She's a student at Themis Legal Academy."

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Woods." Edgeworth shook hands with the young lady.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Edgeworth."

"So what course are taking at the academy?"

"I'm enrolled in the Judge's course."

Apollo piped in. "She wants to become a judge and help to completely end the dark age of the law."

Edgeworth nodded his head. "Well then. That's a noble cause. I wish you all the best in your endeavor, Ms. Woods. And who knows? Perhaps there may come a time when you might be presiding over a case I prosecute."

"Thank you Mr. Edgeworth."

"She's got two other friends at the academy: Hugh O'Connor, who wants to be a defense attorney, and Robin Newman, who's in the prosecutor's course."

"Newman…that name rings a bell. Ah yes. I believe I spoke with her over the phone regarding interning at the Prosecutor's Office. It's good to see the youth wanting to take initiative in maintaining the glory of the law."

Athena was nearby when she heard this. "Aw come on Mr. Edgeworth! You're not old enough to be calling us the youth! You yourself could easily pass by as being in your mid-twenties."

_The next oldest person in this room is ten years my junior! I think I'm perfectly justified in referring to all of you as the youth…although I do appreciate the compliment. _Edgeworth didn't really know how to verbally respond to the comment, so he was relieved when a knock was heard at the door.

"I'll get it!" Athena rushed to the door and opened it. "Hi Serena! Come on in!"

The doctor walked inside the office. "Hello Athena."

Athena got an idea. "Hey! Serena, there's someone I think you should meet." Athena grabbed Serena's arm and dragged her to the corner where Ema was.

Edgeworth watched as Athena introduced them to each other. Ema smiled politely, as did Serena.

"Ema here is a detective for the LAPD, but her ultimate dream is to become a scientific investigator."

"Really? That's a fantastic career to get into. I actually took a forensics course or two back in high school."

This sparked up Ema's interest. "You did? Oh, what did you do?! Did you use luminol and fingerprinting powder?!" Ema pretty much went on and on about her own experiences with scientific investigation while Serena stood there listening intently, nodding her head at times.

"Well, that takes care of Ema," Athena said. "She shouldn't be moping around for a while."

"Yeah, that is until Serena gets tired of her rambling on about scientific investigation," Apollo added, knowing all too well how long the detective could go on about science.

Athena shrugged. "We'll take what we can get for now."

"Thena. Isn't Mr. Blackquill coming to the party?"

Apollo tried to signal to Junie to stop, waving his hands around, but it was too late. Athena looked down at the ground. "He wasn't invited," she replied.

_That was a rather low-spirited tone of voice she just used. Hm…I wonder if this has anything to do with the time she was leaving Prosecutor Blackquill's office and I ran into her. Something must have happened. I shouldn't pry into their affairs, although...he does seem to be stuck in his office a lot more often than usual. I'll have to see how things go. _

Athena had by then walked away from them.

"Apollo? What's wrong with Thena?"

Apollo sighed. "She and Prosecutor Blackquill….they sort of got into a fight, at least, I think they did. One day, she went over to visit him, and ever since then, she gets all gloomy when someone brings him up. They're definitely not on good terms with each other, that's for sure."

"Poor Thena."

The door suddenly opened and two girls burst into the room.

"Alright! Where are those burgers?!"

"Mystic Maya! Shouldn't we wait for Trucy to come and for the party to start before we begin eating?"

"Aw! But Pearly! I haven't had any burgers since I was here last time!"

Everyone turned their attention to the door. Behind Maya and Pearl were Phoenix and Iris.

"Oh! Look at all of these people here! You really went all out for this party, didn't you Nick?!" Maya went around greeting everyone, until she stopped at Serena and Ema.

"Nick. Who's that person Ema's talking to?"

"That's Serena Sterling. She's a doctor. Here, let me introduce you." Phoenix walked up to the pair. "Hey Ema. Sorry to interrupt you, but I wanted to introduce Maya to someone. Serena, this is Maya Fey, a good friend of mine, and Maya, this is Serena Sterling."

"It's nice to meet you Miss Fey."

"Please," Maya waved a hand in the air. "You can just call me Maya. So you're a doctor?! That means you give people shots, right?" Serena nodded. "You know, I think Nick here needs a shot. I don't remember the last time he's even gone to see a doctor, unless it's because he's gotten himself into some freak accident."

Phoenix sighed. "Maya. Is it really necessary for you to tell someone you literally just met about my medical history?"

"Maybe this will motivate you into going to the doctor! Isn't it important to get checked out often, Dr. Sterling?"

"Well, it is very helpful to go visit your doctor annually to monitor your health and help maintain it, not to mention that you'll want to make sure that you don't develop any diseases or problems that could become serious if left untreated, but then again, I probably shouldn't be one to talk."

"Why's that?"

"I myself don't really go to the doctor annually."

"See?" Phoenix pointed out. "I'm completely justified then! She's a doctor, and even she doesn't go to see one!"

"That's a contradiction right there, Nick. She's a doctor. She would be able to know if there was something wrong with her. You, on the other hand, don't know the ABCs of being healthy, so you are in fact not justified."

"As if you know the ABCs of being healthy either Maya." He grinned evilly. "Hey Serena. How good are burgers for your health?"

She had just been listening to their argument, so she was caught off guard by the question. "Burgers? Well, they're not bad for you…"

"See?! HA!"

"However, that's the case when they're consumed in moderation."

"Moderation?" Maya asked, frowning a little and her face falling a little.

She nodded. "A burger once a week won't do any significant damage."

"Here's a question for you then. Say someone has been eating 100% vegetarian food for the past month or so, and after that, they consume at least three burgers a day for a week. Is that healthy?"

"Three burgers a day for a week?! That isn't healthy at all!"

Phoenix shot a sideways glance at Maya. "Hear that, Maya? It isn't good for you. Listen to the expert."

Maya just crossed her arms defiantly. "That being said, Mis..I mean, Maya, you don't have to stop eating burgers all together; just…don't eat so many all at once. You're still young, and you should try to maintain your health. The sooner you take initiative, the better you'll be in the future."

"I'll take that advice, Serena. But I'm not as young as I look, you know. In fact, I'm willing to bet I'm older than you!"

Serena frowned a little. "Er, well…"

"Just how young do you think she is, Maya?" Phoenix asked.

"She can't be any older than say, 25. That's in the ballpark, isn't it, Serena?"

"Er, well…I'm actually older than that."

"No way! Okay, so you may be a little older than that, but there's no way you could be Nick's age." Maya saw that the doctor smile awkwardly. "Wait. How old are you then?"

"33."

"33?!" Maya gaped at her. "You can't be serious!"

"But I am."

"You're just a little younger than Nick and Mr. Edgeworth! I…that…how is that possible?!"

Serena spoke up. "Enough about me. When's Trucy going to get here?" She asked Phoenix.

"She should be getting here in about half an hour. Which reminds me, I wonder where Detective Gumshoe is? He said he would make sure to stop by for the party."

Edgeworth noticed that everyone else was talking to one another. Klavier and Juniper were talking to each other, as were Pearl and Iris. Apollo and Athena were speaking to Phoenix. Maya went to speak with Ema, leaving Serena to stand by herself to the side of the room.

_Hm…she doesn't seem to be the talkative kind of person. She did seem almost intimidated by everyone speaking to her. _He watched as her eyes narrowed a little, and she reached into her pocket to pull out a phone. He was standing near enough that he could hear her speaking despite all of the noise.

"Hello? Yes this is she…What?! What do you mean?!" She frowned deeply as she listened to the voice over the phone. Her eyes went wide with concern, and she was tugging at her necklace. "Alright. I'll be there as soon as I can." Shutting off the phone, she approached Phoenix.

"Mr. Wright. I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid I have to go."

"So soon? But the party's only getting started!" Athena exclaimed, now in a better mood.

"Why do you have to leave?" Apollo questioned.

Edgeworth couldn't help but listen in on the conversation, especially since he was standing right nearby.

She looked down at the ground. "Something…something came up suddenly, and it's kind of an emergency." She smiled sadly "Would you mind telling Trucy that I'm so sorry I had to leave her party like this, and that I hope she has a Happy Birthday and enjoys herself?"

"Trucy will understand. And of course we will!" Apollo answered.

"Take care Serena," Phoenix called out to as she rushed out of the office.

Edgeworth walked over to Phoenix. "Hmph. I wonder what kind of emergency she could have."

"Come on Edgeworth. Don't be like that. Maybe it's a family emergency."

"As far as we know, Wright, she doesn't have any family." _None that we're aware of anyway. _

"Well, I'm sure she's got a good reason for leaving."

"Hey Nick! Where did Serena go?"

"She had to leave. Something came up all of a sudden."

"Oh. You know, I was telling Iris and Pearly here that you seem to somehow attract some really attractive ladies here, don't you Nick?"

Phoenix blushed. "Maya, stop. You're embarrassing me. And I never said she was attractive."

"Aw, come on Nick. Do you have eyes? She's super good-looking! I wonder if she's dating anyone."

Edgeworth couldn't help but notice Iris as Maya was saying this. _Iris Fey. It's been a while since I last properly spoke to her. That was eight years ago. She hasn't changed one bit. She…was the one who Wright dated back in college, dressed as her twin sister, Dahlia Hawthorne. What could she be doing staying here in the city? And why does she look rather distressed just now? _

Iris was frowning and had her head down.

Just then, the door opened to reveal Detective Gumshoe. "Quick everyone! I saw Trucy and her friend coming by!"

"Everyone, find a place to hide!" Phoenix directed.

Athena, Juniper, and Apollo hid behind one couch, while Pearl, Maya, Iris and Ema hid near the table between the two. Edgeworth went to the back of the room and stood near Charley the plant, while Phoenix stood right neat the light switch.

"Klavier!"

"Sh!" Apollo shushed Athena.

Athena whispered angrily. "Klavier! Get down!"

"But I want to be the first one our little Fraulein sees when the lights turn on."

"Don't worry, pal. I'll take care of him." Gumshoe dragged Klavier by the arm to one corner of the office while Klavier struggled futilely to get out of the detective's grip. "Sorry, Mr. Gavin." He stood in front of Klavier so that the prosecutor was completely out of view.

Athena held two thumbs up. "Thanks Detective!"

Phoenix peeked out the window. "Sh everyone! I can see Trucy coming with Jinxie. Okay, when I turn on the lights, everyone jump up and say surprise."

"You don't honestly expect me to jump, do you Wright?!"

"Fine then, don't jump! Just say surprise."

"Aw come on, Mr. Edgeworth! It'll be fun!"

"Hmph. No offense, Maya, but I don't think it would be fun if I was to hurt myself somehow in doing so."

"Sh! They're almost here."

The room went dead silent, that is until a phone went off. Everyone looked to Detective Gumshoe, who held his hands up in front of him. "It wasn't me!" He turned around to reveal Klavier, who was holding his phone, texting someone.

Ema looked around her and found a red bouncy ball near her. She picked it up and threw it at the Prosecutor's phone, which fell out of his hand and to the floor.

"My phone!" He bent down to get it when the door opened.

"That's weird. Why are all the lights out?" Before Trucy could go over to turn on the lights, they came on and everyone yelled aloud, "SURPRISE! Happy Birthday Trucy!"

Trucy held a hand to her mouth. "Wh…what's going on?!"

Phoenix went up to his daughter and hugged her. "It's a party for you Trucy."

"For me? Aw, thank you Daddy!" She hugged Phoenix tightly, and then turned to everyone. "So this is why all of you were acting so weird for these past few days! I really should've seen this coming!" She looked around. "Well, what's everyone waiting for? Let's party!"

A few cheers were heard and so the party began.

* * *

The party was full of laughter and conversation, games and food. Trucy had opened all of her presents, and sincerely loved every one of them. She had left Serena's present for last.

"Aw! This is so cute! I love this! It reminds me of someone, but I can't quite put my finger on who." Trucy looked around the room. "Wow. I can't believe I didn't even realize it before, But…where is she?"

Phoenix spoke. "Something really important came up, and she had to leave, Trucy, but she wanted us to wish you a happy birthday."

"Oh, okay. I can put this cute teddy bear figure on my desk at home!"

Among her other presents were a scientific investigation kit from Ema, the gardening kit from Juniper, the sweater from Iris, which she began wearing immediately upon receiving it, a song written and sung by Klavier about her, along with the Red Badger guitar, the tea set from Edgeworth along with a few tea assortments, a beautiful portrait of her sleeping when she was younger made by Phoenix himself (**AN: I personally think that Phoenix is actually a really good artist, and I feel that it would be better for him to make her a meaningful gift like this rather than buy her something, just thought I should mention that.**), the bunny from Apollo, a gift certificate to go to a spa from Athena, and a couple of novels and a charm bracelet from Pearl.

"I'm going to use one of my presents now!" Trucy held a camera, which Gumshoe had given her (**AN: For those of you who are curious, Gumshoe's salary is more than enough that he no longer lives off instant noodles anymore! Yay Gumshoe!**). She tapped her chin. "Who should I take a picture of first?"

_Oh no. I better not attract any sort of attention to myself, otherwise she'll want to take my picture. _

He saw Trucy smile playfully. "Hey Daddy! Come here, let me take a picture of you!"

Phoenix stood in front of Trucy and fixed himself. Trucy held the camera in front of her, but lowered it down.

"What's wrong?" Phoenix asked.

"This picture is missing something…or rather, someone." Trucy's eyes fell on Iris. "Hey Iris! How about you go stand next to Daddy?"

"Oh, Trucy, I don't think…"

Pearl interrupted Phoenix. "That's a good idea, Trucy!" Pearl ushered Iris to stand next to Phoenix. The two of them were standing a good few inches away from each other.

Athena had been watching the whole thing and decided to make a contribution of her own. "Mr. Wright! Iris! You two should stand closer together! You're both acting like the other's got the plague or something!" The two individuals took a few small steps to stand closer to each other. Athena shook her head. "Let me help you out there." She went up to them and pushed Phoenix to Iris so that their shoulders were touching, and then she even went as far as to place Phoenix's arm around Iris's shoulder.

"Quick Trucy! Take the picture!" Pearl called out.

A flash lit the room.

Edgeworth smirked. _Wright looks incredibly awkward like that. I probably shouldn't be thinking this, but it is rather amusing seeing him like this. _

Phoenix and Iris's faces were both red like a tomato. Once Trucy had taken the picture, they separated from each other, looking away.

"Alright! Time to take more pictures! Who's next?" She saw Edgeworth and grinned. "You're turn, Mr. Edgeworth!"

"Oh, er…about that, you see Trucy. It is getting rather late, and I need to get back home and check on Pess. I'm glad you had a wonderful birthday, and I hope that the rest of your day goes on just as well."

Before anyway could argue, Edgeworth left the office. _That was far too close. But it is true. It is getting late, and Pess will be waiting for me._

* * *

"Looks like things are going better than planned."

"Yup. I've got all of them wrapped around my pinky finger. It's only a matter of time when everything else falls into place. You know? It's extremely helpful, being chummy with lawyers."

"You're not just chummy with lawyers, are you?"

The woman giggled. "I guess you're right!" She laughed. "To think they could be duped by the sweet, innocent, goody-two shoes act. Idiots! They'll learn from their mistakes soon enough."

**I hope this chapter made up for the last one! I tried to get a lot of the characters in here, with the exception of Simon, of course. Let me know what you think by reviewing or leaving me a private message. Thanks! **


	22. Ch 21: Turnabout Questioning

**************_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

_**Background: **_

**_Two weeks have gone by since Trucy's birthday; everyone's very busy with work and what not._ **

Chapter 21 – Turnabout Questioning (**Ick…I don't like this chapter title, but I couldn't come up with anything better!**)

Serena was sitting in her office reading through a journal article when her phone rang.

"Hello?...Someone here to see me? Oh! Yes, send her down. No wait! I'll come over there."

She got out of her office and rushed down the hall to the front desk, where she saw a familiar face. "Iris. It's nice to see you. Please come this way."

She led her back to the office, where they both sat down.

"Would you like some tea?"

"No thank you, Ms. Sterling."

"Please. Call me Serena. So, you've got most of your application filled out, right?"

Iris nodded and handed over the papers to the doctor, who scanned over them. "Looks good. Now, the only thing I would recommend is that you write something in the section asking what you're planning to study. You don't have to stick to it, but it's better to have something written there. Was there a particular subject that you're looking forward to studying?"

"Actually, Serena. I…I have an idea as to what I want to do."

Serena's eyebrows went up. "You do? That's great! You can just write that down here."

"But…I'm not sure if I should do it."

The doctor tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"I…don't want it to become a waste…I want to be useful."

"That's…good. If you don't mind my asking, what exactly is it that you're interested in doing?" Iris was quiet for a while. "Iris. If you're worried that I might tell someone, I won't, if you don't want me to, that is."

"I…you won't?"

Serena shook her head. "I won't. I promise."

"I…I want to become…a paralegal."

"Well, that's a wonderful career! You shouldn't be ashamed about pursuing that." She noticed Iris was still worried. "There's something else, isn't there?" She saw the woman nod. "Well, then I won't intrude."

"I want to help Mr. Wright!" Iris exclaimed.

"Oh? That's…very thoughtful of you."

Iris looked away. "But…I don't think he'll want me to help him."

"I certainly don't think that's true. I'm sure Mr. Wright would love to have you help him out."

Iris shook her head. "I guess I can't change the way you feel, but I think you're worrying for no reason. Anyway, let me just check over the rest of this application."

After a few minutes of thoroughly looking through the papers, she handed them back. "Other than what I mentioned, this application is perfect."

"Thank you very much for all of your help Serena. I appreciate it."

"Please don't thank me. It's the least I could do. I admire your desire to go back and continue your education, so it would be wrong of me if I didn't offer any assistance." Serena leaned back in her chair. "So, do you have any other questions?"

She shook her head. Serena was about to get up when she heard Iris's meek voice.

"Serena. Are you...are you Mr. Wright's special someone?"

Serena looked up, a confused expression on her face. "Special someone? What do you mean?"

" You know...his girlfriend?"

Serena gasped, placing a hand on her chest. "Oh goodness no! What made you think that?!"

"I just...well you two seemed to get along well with each other, so I thought maybe you two were...dating or something."

Serena stared at the woman in front of her for a moment before she smiled sympathetically. "Iris. Phoenix Wright is a good friend of mine, but that's all he is to me. A good friend. Nothing more, and nothing less. I don't know who or what may have suggested it, but I can guarantee that I don't consider him to be my...'special someone,' so to speak."

"Oh." Iris looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry I asked you that question."

"It's fine. However, somehow I get this feeling that you...consider Mr. Wright to be your special someone. Am I right?" Iris hesitated. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't pry into your personal business."

"Serena?"

"Yes?"

"Would you be…could you…?"

"What is it Iris?"

"Can I talk to you about something?"

Noting the serious tone of voice, Serena set aside the papers she was holding. "Of course. What is it?" She was growing concerned.

"You see, Mr. Wright and I…we…we dated a long time ago." Seeing that the doctor was listening to her, Iris continued. "We dated…for eight months…but…" Serena patiently sat there as Iris told her the story about her sister Dalia, how she dressed up as Dahlia and dated Phoenix, all the way up to the case at Hazakura temple. By the end of the whole story, Iris was crying.

"Iris! It's alright!" Serena went over and hugged the crying woman. She patted Iris's back as she cried for a little longer. Once Iris was finished crying, Serena handed her a box of tissues and went back to sit behind her desk.

"I'm definitely not one who should be giving out advice on romance; however, I believe you should tell Mr. Wright everything you just told me. You don't need to do as soon as you can, but you should definitely consider telling him in the near future how you feel. It's never good to keep your emotions bottled up like that."

"Serena. Thank you so much. I…didn't know who else to talk to about it. Pretty much everyone else knows the whole story about us, so I guess I wanted someone else who didn't know the story to hear it."

"No problem, Iris. I'm glad I could help you. If you ever want to talk, please don't hesitate to call me. I have to admit, I'm not great at giving advice, unless it's medical, but I'm always willing to lend an ear or two."

"I'll remember that, Serena. See you."

"See you."

(**AN: So with the whole Iris wanting to be a paralegal and what not, for those of you who are curious, it's going to be explained a little more in a later chapter. I just personally think that she would want to do something like that. I don't know…just thought I might put that out there.**)

* * *

Edgeworth heaved a sigh, looking down at his cluttered desk. Papers were strewn all over the surface.

_This family is good. They've pretty much got every legal document with any information about them hidden away. How could they have done something like that without the police knowing?!_

He picked up a piece of paper on which he had written a list of names. "Mario Myron, a restaurant owner, Darnell Hawthorne a jeweler, Neville Manco, a doctor, and Razi R. Sharpe, a millionaire. Four victims, all with hidden agendas, and associated with that family."

Edgeworth pulled out a manila file and took out a piece of paper from it. "The Bandits."

Edgeworth heard someone at his door. "Come in." He looked up to see that it was Prosecutor Blackquill.

"Chief Prosecutor. Do you have any cases for me to take on right now?" Simon asked as he entered the room and stood in front of Edgeworth's desk.

"I'm afraid not. I gave the latest case to Mrs. Aaron."

"Oh? Do you know who the defense attorney is that she's going up against?"

"One Mr. Walter Aaron."

"Aaron? As in, Ms. Aaron's…"

"Yes, her husband."

"A defense attorney and a prosecutor, married to each other." Simon mused.

"Hm, yes. It's quite an odd couple, if I may say so myself."

Simon didn't respond, but instead sat there quietly. "Anyway, is there something you needed, Prosecutor Blackquill?"

_He seems quite miserable. I'll have to make sure to assign him the next case that I get. _

"There wasn't anything in particular, Chief Prosecutor. However, I did want to inquire how your investigation was going."

Edgeworth motioned to his desk. "It's going quite nicely." He sighed. "I've been having quite a difficult time trying to find some way to capture them. There's no way we can get them convicted without any evidence, and I also do have a theory that someone from the outside is helping them out."

"You do?"

Edgeworth nodded. "Not to mention, these past few murders that occurred all seem to go back to them." Edgeworth showed Simon the piece of paper with all of the murder victims' names on it.

"These are all the victims from the past few cases that we prosecuted, right?" Simon looked up at Edgeworth. "So they've been known to be related to that family?"

"Yes, but I haven't been able to go out and investigate for myself exactly how they are all related to the family, but I have a strong suspicion."

Simon stood up. "Chief Prosecutor. Allow me to help in your investigation for the time being, until there is a case for me to prosecute."

"That would be a great help, Prosecutor Blackquill; however, I must warn you that Franziska is also helping me with the investigation as well."

"Is she now? That should prove to be fun. Whose background is she investigating?"

"The doctor and the jeweler. The other two have yet to be investigated. The police department was going to do so, but they got caught up with some of the crimes going on around the city."

Simon nodded. "Have you not found any documentation about the family, Chief Prosecutor?"

"No, I haven't. I must admit I'm quite aggravated by it. I went to the police department myself and tried to find out what happened to their papers. What I ended up finding was that there were no such papers there at the department. Looking into their database, however, we've discovered that one year ago, the papers were there. The question is what happened to them."

Simon stood there quietly for a moment. "Chief Prosecutor. I have a request."

"Yes?"

"If you will agree to this, I would like to go question the Phantom."

"The Phantom? For what reason?" _I wonder if he's onto something…_

"Fool Bright…or rather, the Phantom dressed up as Fool Bright worked in the police department, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did. Ah, I see where you're going with this, Prosecutor Blackquill." _Why did I think of it before?! Of course, he would've had access to all the papers and files at the police department, allowing him to easily get rid of them. _"Very well. I think it would be a good idea for you to go speak with the Phantom."

Simon bowed. "Thank you, Chief Prosecutor. If you'll please excuse me, I would like to go interrogate him now." He left the office.

"Now that I think about it more, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Phantom was somehow also associated with the family as well. Maybe, everything will come together soon, and that crooked family will be brought to justice."

* * *

Simon stood in front of the jail cell with his trusty sidekick Taka perched on his shoulder.

"Haven't abandoned the bird, have you?" A voice called out from the cell.

"Hmph. No, I haven't. But fear not. If you answer all of my questions properly, then he will not harm you."

"Fine, fine. What is it that you want to ask me, Prosecutor Blackquill?"

"Do you know of the Bandit family?"

"Bandits…" The criminal didn't say another word.

"Well…you didn't answer the question."

"Yeah, I've heard of them."

"You wouldn't have happened to have hidden vital documents about them during your stint at the police department, did you?"

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" Simon glared into the cell. "Now why would I tell you of all people about that?"

"So I can take that as an affirmation, yes?"

"Take it as you please, Prosecutor Blackquill."

"Why then? Did this family pay you? Did you work for them?"

"Now, how exactly am I going to benefit from admitting everything to you?"

"Oh, I don't know." Simon shrugged his shoulders. He then smirked. "Perhaps you'd be able to seek the revenge on them, finally." The criminal remained silent. "Certainly, I can imagine how angry you must be at them for not trying to bail you out, for not coming to your aid when you did such a huge, and might I add risky, job for them. They're obviously not grateful to you."

Simon's power of suggestion and persuasion worked its magic on the criminal. "You're right. They left me. I thought if all else failed, I would be able to go back to them, and they'd take me back in with them. Some family they turned out to be. Ousting their own brother from the family, using him to do their dirty work."

"Hold it one moment. Did you just say brother?!"

"Yeah. The Bandit boys are my brothers." The Phantom laughed at Simon's shocked expression. "Does it shock you that much that I'm related to them? I guess I should properly introduce myself. Ever since my identity crisis about a year ago, I finally figured out who I am. My name is Keary Bandit, but I also went by Nemo at one time in my life."

"You're…you're a part of that wretched family?!"

The Phantom nodded. "I'm the one who went out and did the spying, since I was the smart one of the group. I risked my life and worse, my identity, for their sakes, for all of us."

"Why did you become a spy? What was it that you all so desperately needed that you were willing to kill innocent people?!"

The criminal smiled crookedly. "Money."

"Money?" Simon asked in disbelief. "You're only after the money? Was your family in some sort of debt?"

"Ha! No way. The Bandit family, in debt?! That's the craziest thing anyone could say! We love money. Money is everything, and we're willing to do anything we can to get it."

Simon shook his head. "Even if it meant murdering people. How utterly repulsive."

"I wasn't finished with my story. My spy work paid a lot of money, and in turn, I sent that money to my dear brothers. With that money, they were able to run a whole bunch of underground operations, which in turn made them even more money. In the end, they didn't need me, and they left me behind for success and fortune. I tried to contacting them. After all, they owed a lot of that money they made to me and my work. But they ignored me and cut me off. I was going to take matters into my own hands, then I got all caught with that case, and you came along, so I got a little distracted."

Simon stood there for a minute, allowing the information to sink in. He was about to speak when he noticed someone walking by. "Hm? Who's there?" He saw someone wearing a white article of clothing stop near the cell momentarily before running off. "Hey! Come back!"

"Nah. Let her go. She'll be back later."

Simon looked to the Phantom, who was still standing in the shadows of the dark prison cell. "Who is that?"

"None of your business. It's not important. Anyway, are you done here? I have things I need to be doing."

"Hmph. You're right. It's a good thing you've been willing to speak with me for so long. This information shall prove to be vital."

"Glad I could be of assistance to you. Maybe you could drop by another time, and who knows? I might be willing to tell you some more."

Simon once again smirked. "Oh, you should definitely be expecting another visit from me in the near future." He turned and walked in the direction where the mysterious ran off to. He slowed down his walking when he heard hushed voices.

"There's someone there visiting him right now." A female said.

"Who is it? He usually doesn't get visitors." A male voice was heard.

"I don't know. I think he must be part of the police department, or maybe he's a prosecutor."

"Did you hear what they were talking about?"

"No, I don't eavesdrop on people's conversations like you do, you know."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing."

"It's rude!"

"Well what if you were in the area and you just so happened to have accidentally heard a part of the conversation?"

"You're getting distracted!"

"You're right. We need to have a plan of action for when I finally get out of here."

"I don't know. I don't think it's such a good idea to do this, you know."

"You're just scared! You can't be fearful all of the time!"

_Who is in that cell? And who is that man talking to? _Simon noted the cell number where the inmate was. _Cell number 2111. But that's…him. The question is who is he talking to? _Simon silently began approaching the cell when Taka flew off his shoulder.

"Taka! No!" He heard footsteps running away from the cell. Simon watched as Taka flew a little before landing on his shoulder. "Taka, my friend. You decided to take flight at the most inopportune time."

However, Simon didn't fail to notice that Taka had something in his beak. Holding out his hand in front of the bird, a piece of paper fell onto the palm of his hand. "Hm…what's this? A list…of the victims of the murders?!" Simon thought hard. _Who was that woman, and why does she have this list of names? I'll need to investigate this more, but for now, I should head back to the office. _

He neatly folded the paper and placed it in his pocket, then walked out of the prison.

**Yeah, so I pretty much felt kind of like we weren't given a lot of information about the Phantom in Dual Destinies. Like, who he really was and why he became a spy, so I decided that I would put my own little twist on things and create a backstory for him. I don't know if it's good, it's just kind of what I like to think might have been the case. Anyhow, things are going to get more complicated in the next chapters and more serious too. However, I will try to sprinkle in some Cykesquill, Juniepollo, Feenris, etc. Please feel free to leave me a review or private message me! Thanks!**


	23. Ch 22: Turnabout Discovery

**Here's another chapter! This one's kind of…hm…quick with everything. A lot happens in it, particularly the first couple of segments. I hope you guys like it! I'm trying to get to the mystery part of the story.**

*Important Note: This story is rated T because it is involving darker subject matter and references alcohol. However, please do know that I _**DO NOT**_ endorse nor recommend nor support the consumption of alcohol. _**I am 100% against it**_; however, for the purpose of this fictional story, it will be mentioned, but please do remember this note. Thanks!

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!**_

Chapter 22 – Turnabout Discovery

_I should really take up Serena's advice and talk to him. If I wait too long, I may miss my chance. But…what if he doesn't feel the same? What if he rejects me? I know I can't blame him if he does, but…I don't think I could bare it if that were the case. Oh, what do I do?! _

Iris sat by the phone in the apartment, debating whether or not to call the lawyer.

_What would I say? How would I say it? How will he react? Maybe I shouldn't do this over the phone. I should speak to him face to face, but…can I really do that?_

* * *

"Mr. Edgeworth. I found out from Mr. Blackquill that you were running your own investigation?"

Vicki had entered Edgeworth's office rather suddenly.

"Hm? Oh yes, I am, actually." Edgeworth was busy poring over numerous papers and case files that he didn't pay her much attention until she spoke up again. He had been too engrossed in said investigation ever since Prosecutor Blackquill had reported what the Phantom had said.

"You're looking into the Bandit family, right?"

"Yes." _And I'd appreciate it if you didn't bother me right now. _

"Well, I think I may have something you'd be interested in."

Edgeworth looked up from his work, an eyebrow quirked up. "Do you now?"

She nodded. "I was running an investigation for that case I'm working on, and I happened to run across a photograph of one of the family members. There seems to be someone else in the picture, although, I don't know who it is."

Edgeworth looked at the photo she handed him, and his eyes widened. He took off his glasses and scrutinized the photo. _This…this can't be…_

"Wh...Where did you find this?" He asked, looking up at the prosecutor.

"I was speaking to a photographer at one of the crime scenes, and when she was scrolling through her camera's photos to show me one picture, I noticed this one, and asked her if she could make me a bigger copy of it."

"Do you know when it was taken?"

"It was taken a few days ago, actually."

"Hm. Thank you for this image, Mrs. Aaron. This should prove to be very helpful to me."

She shrugged. "Don't worry about it Mr. Edgeworth. Anything I can do to help."

Edgeworth put his glasses back on and stared at the picture. _It would make sense. The sudden leaving, the recognition of the different victims in the cases. Everything's making sense now. All I need to do is to question. Looks like I need to do an interrogation here at my office._

* * *

He heard a knock on his door. From behind the file, he called out. "Come in."

"Um, Mr. Edgeworth? You asked to see me?"

Edgeworth lowered the file from in front of his face. "Ah, yes. Just the person I was looking to speak to. I'm glad you were able to come by so quickly."

"I'm on break right now, but I had this feeling I shouldn't put this visit off so I thought I might as well get it over with. Is there something you needed?"

"Yes. There's something I needed to show you." Edgeworth opened his desk drawer and pulled out a picture. He held it up in front of him for her to see. "I would like you to take a look at this."

Her eyes widened when she saw the picture before they looked to him. "Wh...Where did you get that?!"

"So you acknowledge that it is you in this image?" She didn't say a word. "Ms. Sterling. You do know who this other person in the picture is that you're speaking to, right?"

_Hmph. I shouldn't have expected this to be an easy task. _

"In case you don't, allow me to enlighten you. This man here is Tavion Bandit. He's part of the Bandits, a family which has been under suspicion for many illegal acts, but has yet to have been brought to light." He put the picture down on his desk and folded his hands. "So tell me. What's your relationship to this man and to this family?"

She immediately broke eye contact, looking down at the floor. "I...I can't say," she responded. Her brows were furrowed, and she had a grimace on her face.

"You can't...or you won't?" He observed her closely. She was fidgeting with her hands, and her face had turned paler. _This is almost too simple. She's obviously connected to them somehow. If only I can get her to say it. _

The silence lasted for a while before she sighed. "If we're done here, I need to head back to work, Mr. Edgeworth."

He waited for her to reach the doorway before he spoke to her. "Ms. Sterling. Whether you tell me or not, I will find out the truth eventually. I can guarantee that."

Her back was to him, but she turned her head to the side and stood there for a moment. "Good luck with that."

Edgeworth gazed at the now closed door. _Serena Sterling. It looks like there's more to you than what meets the eye. This certainly warrants some serious investigation._

* * *

Phoenix, Apollo and Athena were sitting in the office when a knock was heard on their office door.

"The door's open!" Phoenix called out. He saw that it was none other than Edgeworth. "Edgeworth. What a surprise."

"Hmph. I should claim to be the one who's surprised, Wright. You're actually here at your office for once."

"Well, you know me. Busy with investigations and what not!"

"I didn't come here to have a chat Wright. There's something serious I need to speak to you about."

Phoenix immediately became serious. "Okay. How about we go into the office, and we'll talk in there?" He led the prosecutor to his office, and they both sat down. "So what exactly is it that…"

"Mr. Wright?" Athena popped her head into the room. "Iris just called. She wanted me to tell you that she'd like to speak with you, and hopes there's a good time where she could down to the office to see you."

"Oh, she did?" _Hm…that's weird. Oh well. I guess it couldn't hurt, could it? _"Tell her…tell her I'll call her back a little later with a time we can talk, okay?"

"Sure thing Boss!" Athena shut the door.

"So you're back on good terms with Miss Fey I gather?"

Phoenix shrugged. "Sort of. We've gotten past the awkwardness, and we can actually have a decent conversation. She's going to be staying here in the city and attending Ivy University."

"Is she now?"

Phoenix nodded. "Yeah, she's been even getting Serena's help to apply and everything."

Edgeworth frowned. "Hmph. She's the reason I came to see you, Wright."

"Who? Iris?"

"Not Iris. Ms. Sterling."

"Oh? What about her?"

"I'd have you advise Miss Fey to cut off any further contact with that woman, Wright."

"What?! What are you talking about?!"

"What I'm talking about is that that woman…she can't be trusted."

"Seriously, Edgeworth. What are you saying? Do you even know her?"

"Maybe not as much as you think you know her, but let me ask you a question Wright. What do you know about Ms. Sterling?"

Phoenix thought about the question. "Well, I know that she's an ER doctor, and she was thought to have murdered someone a few months ago, and I ended up defending her."

"Anything else?"

Phoenix shook his head. "Not really. But that's probably more than you know about her, Edgeworth."

"Hmph. I'm afraid you're wrong, Wright." Edgeworth pulled out the incriminating photo and placed it on Phoenix's desk. "Take a look at this picture for me Wright, and tell me who's in it."

Phoenix pulled the photo towards him and lifted it up to see it closer. _Hm…there's Serena. And who's this other guy…no way! _Phoenix glanced up at Edgeworth.

"Now do you see what I mean?"

"But…this is just a picture, Edgeworth. You can't automatically associate her with them, can you?"

"That maybe just a picture, but here's another discovery I made. I was just at the police department and found very little information as to Ms. Sterling's past."

"What do you mean?"

"I was able to get information about her from the last ten years or so, but there's no other documentation about her prior to this."

Phoenix didn't know how to explain that part off, so he listened as Edgeworth continued. "However, looking into the police's database, I found that there was once information about her at the police department, one year ago. And Prosecutor Blackquill spoke to the Phantom and found out that he had gotten rid of all papers relating to the Bandit family back when he was posing as Detective Fulbright."

Phoenix sat there for a moment, letting the information sink in. "So, what you're basically saying is that Serena Sterling is somehow associated to the Bandit family." Edgeworth nodded.

"My theory is that she's the outside accomplice they have. Think about it Wright. She's gotten close to you and everyone here at the agency. She's very secretive about her private life. And then there's this photo. I happened to call her to my office, and when I asked her to give an explanation for this photo, she didn't say a word. Now, if she were to be innocent, why would she refuse to explain the photo and prove her innocence?"

"I…I guess you're right. Gee, I never thought she would be an accomplice to one of the biggest criminal families here in Los Angeles."

"You of all people should know better than to judge someone by how they look and act, Wright."

"I know. You're right. We'll need to keep a close eye on her, won't we?"

"I'm going to be having the police watch her actions closely, yes. I just figured I should let you know so that you can separate yourself from her as soon as possible. It could be potentially dangerous to you and everyone here at the agency for you to be speaking with her."

Phoenix agreed. "Thanks for letting me know, Edgeworth."

"I need to get going now, Wright. See you."

With that, Edgeworth left the office. A minute or two later, Athena and Apollo entered Phoenix's office.

"Boss, what was Mr. Edgeworth doing here?"

"He came here to give me a heads up. Actually, I need to give you guys a heads up, too."

Phoenix communicated all of the information Edgeworth had just given him.

"You know, Mr. Wright? Now that I think about it, I think Mr. Edgeworth might be onto something."

"What do you mean, Apollo?"

"That day, when we went to her apartment, and we were talking about Mr. Sharpe's murder. When we asked her if she knew Mr. Irving after she reacted to hearing that he got arrested, she said she didn't, but…my bracelet was telling me otherwise."

Athena recalled that day, and remembered noticing that Apollo has seemed bothered.

"So she was lying. But…why? Why lie about something like saying you know a person?" Athena asked.

"Well, if she really does have some kind of connection to the Bandits, it does make sense. If she said she knew Mr. Irving, she probably she might somehow end up revealing her involvement with them."

Everyone sat in the office silently. Athena was the one to speak up. "I don't know, Boss. We shouldn't be hasty and jump to conclusions."

"I don't like to jump to conclusions either, Athena, but Edgeworth's got a point. It's kind of hard to deny that she's got something to do with those people."

"Was Mr. Edgeworth the one who went to go speak to the Phantom?"

Phoenix paused. He had up until that point skillfully avoided mentioning Simon's name, but he came to realize that it was inevitable. "Er…actually, it was Prosecutor Blackquill who spoke with him."

Athena frowned. "Well then. I definitely have my doubts about all of this if that Twisted Samurai is involved." She stood up.

"Where are you going, Athena?" Apollo asked.

"I'm going to do my own investigation, and I'm going to start by talking to Serena."

"Whoa Athena! Are you crazy?! She's the one we're suspecting! If she really is working with the Bandits and you go and interrogate her, who knows what they might do to you!" Apollo reasoned.

"Apollo's right, Athena. You probably don't want to do that. We'll leave the investigation to Edgeworth and the police. They'll figure it out somehow."

Athena crossed her arms. "Alright, alright. I won't go talk to her."

Apollo and Phoenix nodded before they began speaking to each other. Athena had her back facing them, and a mischievous smile growing on her face. _But I never said I wasn't going to investigate!_

* * *

(**AN: You know? I was going to end the chapter right here, but I think it's kind of short, and there weren't really any couples in this, so I decided that I would extend this chapter. I'm sure there are some of my fellow shippers who might like this next part *wink, wink*!**)

Athena was walking home from the Wright Anything Agency. She had spent most of her time there talking to Trucy about her day at school and cleaning the toilet, since Apollo had an important meeting to attend.

_Important meeting? More like a date with Junie. As if I wouldn't see through his lame excuse. I could hear his heart singing in joy. _

Athena was a little ways away from a club, and she was looking down at the sidewalk. She heard the commotion from the club and looked up. She was shocked to see Serena enter the club. _What is she of all people doing at a club?! I thought she said she doesn't go out clubbing Friday nights! _Athena stopped in front of the club, contemplating what she should do.

_Mr. Wright might not be too happy if he found out that I did some investigation, but…I can't just let this opportunity pass! _Athena made her decision. She opened the door and entered the club.

There was a lot of people jumping around, dancing and singing to the music playing. _It's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic; otherwise, I bet I'd probably already have died. _There were so many people in the room that Athena had a hard time finding the doctor among the crowd. She did eventually see Serena squeezing through the crowd and heading towards a door, in front of which a bulky man stood. Showing her ID, the man nodded and let her go inside.

_She's in that room. I need to get in there, but how am I possibly going to do that if I can't even get out of this crowd and to the bar?! _

Athena was squished by the many people on the dance floor, but she was able to push her way through the crowd. Her hands slammed onto the countertop of the bar.

_Finally! Took me long enough! _She noticed that there was a bartender standing on the other side.

"Can I get you something to drink, Miss?"

"Um…no thank you." Athena heard someone call to the bartender to bring him another drink.

_Hm…that's weird. I swear I know that voice. _

"That's your fifth glass today, sweety. Are you sure you want another one?"

"Yes, please. I need it."

_No way…it couldn't be…_Athena turned her head to the right, and she gasped as she saw the person who was sitting two stools away from her. "Simon?!"

Simon lifted his head and looked over at Athena. "Cykessssss-doooonoooo."

She went over to him. "What are you of all people doing here at a bar?!" She yelled over the loud music.

"Why would you care, Cykes-dono? I thought yoouuuu wanted meeee to leeeeaave you aloneeee."

Athena waved her hand in front of her face and moved away from him. "Ugh. You smell like alcohol." She placed her hands on her hips. "What possessed you to come here and get drunk?!"

Simon shrugged. "Don't know, don't care."

_I need to get him out of here before he becomes completely wasted. _She grabbed his arm. "Come on, Simon. Let's get you back to your house."

"But I didn't get my last drink!"

"You'll live without it. Trust me." She reached into his pocket and pulled out some change which she left on the counter. She noticed that he was all wobbly. She took his arm and put it over her shoulder and helped him walk out of the club.

"Cykes-dono. What….are you…doing?"

"I'm taking you home, smart one."

"I…don't neeeeed you to take me home. You know why….Cykes-donoooo?"

Athena sighed. "Why Simon?"

"Becausssseeee….I'm…I'm…do you…know…who I am?"

"You're Simon Blackquill, a prosecutor."

"Noooo…I'm…the Steeeeel Samurai!"

_More like the Twisted, drunk Samurai. _Athena rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and I'm Sailor Moon."

"No, no, no." Simon shook his head. "You're…the Pink Princessssss."

"Pink Princess?" _Is…that supposed to be a compliment?_

Before she could ask him about the comment, he began to ramble about sword fighting and his samurai skills. Athena just nodded her head and listened to his slurred speech. _He's going to have such a hangover tomorrow._

"Where's Taka, Simon?"

"Taka? Who's Taka?"

Athena gasped. "You know, Taka? Your pet bird?!" _Oh no. I hope the poor thing is alright! _

"My…bird. I only have one bird in my life."

"Yeah. Taka," Athena stated.

"Nope! It's a little baby chick."

"A baby…hey! You cannot call me a chick!"

Simon laughed giddily. "You need to stop chirping, my little Miss Baby Chick." He tapped her on the nose.

Athena stared at Simon. _Just how much did he drink today?! Who could've thought he could be like this?! Hm…I'll need to ask Aura about this odd behavior of his if I get the chance. He's completely different, in an annoying way. I…almost miss his grumpy, dark demeanor. Almost. _

Lucky for Athena, she was physically fit enough that she could handle supporting Simon's weight. Slowly, but surely, they walked back to his apartment. At his door, Athena once more reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. She was able to figure out the right one and open the door. She walked into the apartment and got him to sit down on his couch.

"Well, that takes care of that." She looked at the drunken prosecutor, who was falling in and out of conscious. _I better go get him a blanket and a pillow, because there is no way I'm going to get him into his bedroom with him like this. _She grabbed the two items from his bedroom and came back to the living room. She opened the blanket and laid it on his body. She then kneeled down beside him and carefully lifted his head to place the pillow underneath it.

"There. Now you're all set." She stared down at him. His bangs were falling into his closed eyes. She reached out a hand to brush them aside; however, her fingers lingered just a little longer on his face, tracing his cheeks and jawline. "You know, you're really cute when you're asleep," she spoke quietly. She took the time to admire his face.

_He was always was very handsome. It isn't a surprise that I told Junie that I wanted to marry him. _Athena sighed. She then found herself leaning very closely to him. She pressed her lips to his and kissed him. After a few moments, she pulled away. She whispered in his ear. "I love you, Simon."

She heard him mumble something. "I…love…you too…" Athena almost gasped aloud, but she covered her mouth with her hands. "My beloved…katana."

She sighed heavily. _That was dumb of me to get my hopes up like that, especially with him drunk and all. _Athena went to stand up, but realized that something was holding her down. She looked at her hand, and saw that it was being held in Simon's hand.

"Oh no." Athena tried to pull her hand from his grip, but he was holding onto her tight. _Darn it! What am I going to do?! I shouldn't wake him up. He needs to rest if he wants to get over his hangover, but I can't stay here. _She repositioned herself on the ground. _Well, I guess I could sit here and wait until he lets go of my hand. I mean, it shouldn't take that long, right? _

Of course, Athena eventually ended up laying her head down on the couch, right near Simon's, and dozing off.

* * *

"Well, well, well Serena. Looks like you've been doing quite a good job. Never thought you had it in you." A deep voice spoke.

Muffled club music could be heard behind the door. The doctor glared at the door before turning in her seat. "Why did you call me here of all places?"

"Eh, figured no one could follow you around. It's easy to get lost in the crowd. Now, what exactly do you have planned?"

"Why do I need to tell you? I can do whatever I want."

"Ha, ha, ha! You're going to tell me. I know you are."

"I'm not interfering with any of your plans, am I?"

"No, I can't say you are. But you better be careful. One false move and you could get caught."

"Trust me. I don't need anyone to tell me that."

**I really hope you guys like this chapter, especially my fellow Cykesquillers! I want to thank **TheMysteriousGeek2345 **for giving me the idea for that scene! Please let me know what you think by reviewing and/or private messaging me. Thanks!**


	24. Ch 23: Turnabout Murder

**I was looking at the number of chapters I've written for this story, and I must say I'm surprised! I didn't think it would take me this long to write out the whole story. I must say though that there's going to be quite a few more chapters before the story ends, but I'm not sure right now as to how many it's going to be…Anyway, here's the next one! Enjoy!**

**__****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!**

Chapter 23 – Turnabout Murder

Simon groaned as he rolled over on his couch. _Hm…I wonder what time it is? _He laid on the couch, his eyes closed. He went to get up, but clutched his head. "Gah!" _Why…does my head hurt so badly? _He finally opened his eyes. "I'm…in my apartment?" He stared at the white ceiling. "What happened last night? How did I get here, and why can't I recall anything?!"

He slowly sat up on the couch, holding his aching head in his hands. He then noticed something yellow beside him. He looked down on the floor to find…

"Cykes-dono!" He yelled.

"Objection!" Athena sat up, her head jerking around. She then saw Simon was awake.

"What are you doing here in my apartment?!"

Athena was going to tease him; however, given the tone of his voice, she could sense the annoyance he felt. "Excuse me?! Don't yell at me as if this was all my fault! You're the one who was completely wasted at the bar!"

_Bar? Wasted? What is she jabbering on about?! Oh…oh no. I did go to the bar, didn't I? But wait. How did she…_

"Cykes-dono! You went into a bar?! You aren't even of age!"

"For your information, I went into the club, and I didn't drink anything. I'm a lawyer. Why would I break the law like that?!"

"Why of all places did you go into a club?!"

"It was…part of an investigation I was running."

"Investigation? What could you possibly investigate at a club, other than any young boys?"

Athena's cheeks turned red. "I don't need to tell you what I was doing there or what I was investigating! However, I can tell you that if it weren't for me, you'd probably still be at that club, unconscious and totally unaware of what happened!"

"You still haven't explained why you're here. In my apartment!"

"I saw you sitting at the bar, and I realized that you were pretty drunk, so I brought you back here and put you down on the couch, where you fell asleep."

"And?" _Why did her cheeks just get even redder? _

"Er…well…I…I was going to leave, but then you held onto my hand, and I didn't want to wake you up, so I just decided that I would wait for you to let go, and then I kind of fell asleep," Athena said all at once.

Simon considered everything she had just said to him. "I…see…well then. This means you can go now."

Athena looked up at him. "That's it? You're just going to tell me to go? Aren't you even going to offer me something?"

Simon shrugged. "Technically, I didn't invite you to come here, so there's no reason I need to entertain you."

She gaped at him. "You…are…impossible. You know that?! Would it really kill you to say thank you for bringing you here?"

"I didn't ask you to bring me here, did I?"

"Agh! I don't even know why I bother to try with you! Not to mention I have no idea what possessed me to kiss you…"

"Hold it. What did you just say?!"

Athena's eyes became a little wider. "What do you mean?"

"You said you did something to me. What is it?"

"I…I said I…I…I don't know what possessed me to help you. That's what I said."

"Hmph." _I don't exactly believe that. _"Well, I didn't need your help. And if I recall correctly, you told me to leave you alone. And yet, you can't seem to stay away from me. Aren't you contradicting yourself, Cykes-dono?"

"You know what?! I am sick and tired of dealing with your rudeness and condescension towards me! I've tried, I really have, to get the old Simon Blackquill, the guy who was my best friend when I was younger, the guy who was so sweet and kind, the guy I admired, the one I loved, to come back. But now I realized that he's gone forever. He's been permanently replaced by a Twisted Samurai."

Simon's eyes flashed. "What. Did. You. Just. Call. Me."

"Twisted Samurai. Because that's exactly what you are! A samurai who's completely twisted!"

"I was quite aware that everyone else called me by that name, but you…I never expected you to use that name with me. Never you." Athena was silent. "Get out of here. Right now," he said darkly.

"You don't need to tell me to get out because I'm leaving!" Simon watched her stomp out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

* * *

"Hello Mr. Edgeworth. I'm afraid Ms. Sterling isn't working today," the woman at the front desk informed the prosecutor.

"I actually wasn't here to see Ms. Sterling. I'm here for investigation purposes. Would it be alright if I came in?"

"Of course. Please come right in."

Edgeworth entered the ER and went into the nurse's station. _I guess they're having a relatively slow day here. _There were two nurses sitting there, talking to each other. "Ahem. I don't mean to interrupt, but if one of you could answer my questions, I would greatly appreciate it."

They looked up at him and smiled. One of them, whose name was Tina according to her nametag, spoke up. "We're not busy at all! What do you want to ask us about?"

"Not what, but rather who. I wanted you to tell me a little about the head of this department here, Ms. Sterling?"

"Oh, Dr. Sterling? What about her?"

"Could you tell me what you know about her?"

The other nurse was a little older, and she asked, "Is there anything in particular you want to know about her?"

"No, not particularly. Just everything you know about her."

The older nurse, named Yolanda, began speaking, and Edgeworth began taking notes in his organizer. "She's an exceptional doctor, that's the first thing that comes to mind. She's very bright and knows what she's doing. She really knows her stuff when it comes to medicine. I'd even go as far as to say she's one of the smartest doctors I've worked with here at the ER."

Edgeworth nodded. "Please, continue."

"She's especially good with her patients. She's very understanding and attentive to their needs."

_Well I appreciate you telling me all of that, but it doesn't exactly help me out in anyway. _

Tina smirked. "She's much more talkative to the patients than she is with us."

Edgeworth stopped writing and looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Is she not nice to you?" _This could prove to be something. _

Yolanda waved her hand. "Nonsense. She's wonderful with us." She spoke a little quieter. "Unlike most of the doctors here, she understands that our jobs are demanding and that we can't always drop what we're doing to help her out. And she certainly doesn't expect or demand us to. She's very respectful to us."

"But she's an odd one, she is," Tina added.

"Why do you say that?"

"She's nice, and she is respectful to us, I'll give her that, but she's very quiet. A bit too quiet, if you ask me. Unless it has to do with a patient or something related to medicine or our work, she doesn't say a word to us."

"That's not true!" The older nurse argued. "She says hello to us in the morning and asks how we're doing, and wishes us a nice day when she leaves."

"Yeah, but she doesn't say much other than that. I bet she thinks she's too good for us. Since she became a doctor and started working at a relatively young age and everything."

_Just because someone doesn't talk much doesn't mean they're arrogant…but it is a possibility nonetheless. Hm…I think the other nurse seems to be a bit more knowledgeable and sensible than this one. Perhaps I should direct my questions to her. _

"Ms. Yolanda. Did anything about Ms. Sterling strike you as being a little strange?"

The older nurse thought for a moment. "Hm…the only thing I can think of is that she's extremely private. She never, ever says a word about her life outside of the ER. Most of us here share what's happening in our private lives, and whenever one of us asks her about her own life, she kind of hesitates and ends up avoiding the question completely. I mean, I'm sure there must be a good reason for it, but still. That's probably the one thing that strikes me as a little unusual for her. She's such a nice girl, I just can't imagine why she wouldn't want to tell us about her private life."

_Hm…so Ms. Sterling keeps her life private. That isn't really unusual, but I suppose that could be because she doesn't exactly want anyone to know about her involvement with the Bandits. _

Before Edgeworth could question them further, his cellphone rang. Excusing himself, he walked out of the ER and picked up the phone. "This is Edgeworth."

"Mr. Edgeworth! It's horrible!"

"What's horrible, Detective Gumshoe?"

"There's been a murder!"

"What?! Who's been murdered? And where?"

"At the prison, Mr. Edgeworth. A man was murdered in a prison cell."

"Who's the man that was murdered, Detective?"

"You aren't going to believe it Sir."

"Just get on it with it!"

"It's…The Phantom."

* * *

**The next day, in the mid-afternoon…**

"Ahem. I'm Apollo Justice, and I'm fine. I'm Apollo Justice, and I'm fine. I'm Apollo Justice, and I'm fine! I'm Apollo Justice, and I'm fine." Apollo took in a deep breath and yelled, "I'M APOLLO JUSTICE, AND I'M FINE!"

He had entered Wright Anything Agency that morning with the intention of doing some law-related work; however, instead, he had been given many chores to do around the office, which had him working until lunchtime. With nothing else to do, and with Juniper at school, Apollo figured that after his lunch, he would practice his Chords of Steel and make up for the one time he skipped it.

"I'M APOLLO JUSTICE, AND I'M FINE! I'M APOLLO JUSTICE, AND I'M FI…" He cut himself off when he heard the door to their office room open. He saw a woman's head peek out from it.

"Oh! I…I'm sorry, Miss Fey. I…er…I didn't know you were here." _When did she get here?! I don't remember her being here when I got here. _

As if reading his mind, Iris replied, "It's fine, Mr. Justice. I came in here to see Phoenix. He…asked me to come and wait to speak with him inside his office. I didn't mean to enter in without letting you know, but there was no one here when I came, and he told me that I could just go inside."

"Oh, okay. That's fine. I was probably out at lunch." _Mr. Wright. Would it really have killed you to tell me you were going to be having company here? _"Oh, and Miss Fey? You don't need to call me Mr. Justice. Just Apollo will do just fine!"

"Oh…okay, Apollo. Would you happen to know when Phoenix will be back?"

"I don't know for sure. He should be back soon." Apollo looked up at the clock. "He didn't really tell me what time he'd be coming back from whatever it was he was doing." Apollo sighed. "So how are you, Miss Fey?"

"Oh? I'm…doing well, thank you."

"I heard you're going to be taking classes from Ivy University. That's pretty cool."

"Thanks."

_This is a little weird. I wonder why she's here. What could she need to talk about with Mr. Wright? _

Just then, the door opened and revealed an angry Athena. "Hey Athena."

"Don't talk to me, Apollo."

Apollo was taken aback. "Alright, alright. Sheesh, I was just greeting you is all." Athena entered the office and sat down at her desk, fuming. It took her a moment to realize that she wasn't alone in the room.

"Apollo. Please leave me alone!" She looked up and immediately felt bad. "Oh, Iris. I'm sorry. I thought you were Apollo." Athena then tilted her head to the side. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to speak with Phoenix."

"Oh." They sat there in silence. "Hey, Iris? Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Er…yes, you may."

"How do you feel about Mr. Wright?" Athena noted how Iris's cheeks turned bright red. "Do you still have feelings for him, even after all these years and everything that's happened to you?"

Iris continued to stay silent. _She definitely has feelings for him. That's for sure. _

Apollo came in and shook his head at Athena. "Really Athena? Way to be intrusive!"

Athena argued. "I was just curious."

"Whether or not she has feelings for Mr. Wright is none of your business, Athena!"

"Who are you to lecture me?!"

"Some people don't like it when other people interfere in their personal lives, you know."

"Who said I was interfering in her personal life?! I was just asking her a question!"

The two of them continued to argue until they heard a soft voice speak up. "Please don't argue on my account." Apollo and Athena looked at her. "I don't mind that you asked me, Athena."

"See?! I knew she wouldn't mind at all! She's a nice person, unlike some people I know."

Apollo didn't say a word.

Athena then repeated her question to Iris. "Do you still have feelings for Mr. Wright?"

"Well, I…" The two girls noticed how Apollo was still in the room and stared at him.

"Wh..what? What's with that look?" He asked, not understanding why they were looking at him.

"Why are you still here, Apollo? I thought you didn't want to interfere in other people's lives?"

"Er…well…I wasn't the one interfering, and also, Miss Fey doesn't seem to mind if I'm here." He then turned to Iris. "Do you?" She shook her head. "See? Now, please. Continue Miss Fey."

"Well…about Phoenix…and my feelings towards him."

"You like him, don't you?" Athena interrupted.

"Athena! You shouldn't interrupt her like that! You do like Mr. Wright, don't you Miss Fey?"

"Is that not what I just asked her?!"

Apollo and Athena once again got into an argument. It escalated to the point where they were bellowing at each other. "I CAN SCREAM LOUDER THAN YOU CAN!"

"NO YOU CAN'T! YOU DON'T HAVE CHORDS OF STEEL!"

"I DON'T NEED CHORDS OF STEEL! I'M NATURALLY LOUD!"

"NO YOU'RE NOT!"

"YES I AM!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

"NO, NO, NO!" The door opened, and Apollo yelled at the person standing in the doorway. "WHAT?" He gasped when he saw who it was. "M…Mr. Wright!"

"What in the world are you two yelling about?!" Phoenix asked, looking between his two employees. He then focused on Athena. "Athena, it's bad enough that Apollo has his loud voice. Please don't tell me you're joining him too!"

"Hey!" Apollo called out.

"Boss. I'm not joining Apollo, trust me. We were just arguing because he blamed me for interrupting Iris by asking her if she liked you and all…"

"Mr. Wright. Athena was being nosy, and when Iris was talking, she interrupted her! You aren't supposed to interrupt people when they're talking!"

"Yeah, that may be true, but then Apollo interrupted me! And then he asked Iris if she did like you, and that was the same question I asked in the first place!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold it right there, you two. Why were you asking Iris if she likes me?"

Athena and Apollo exchanged glances. "Oh…would you look at the time?" Apollo looked at his wrist at his imaginary watch. "I need to go…practice my chords of steel for the evening!"

"Oh yeah! And I…I need…to practice with you! Come on Apollo! Let's get going!"

With that, the two lawyers that were once arguing fled out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

"Those two…sometimes, I don't understand them." Shaking his head, Phoenix walked over to his desk and sat behind it, facing Iris. "I'm sorry about them, Iris. They…be pretty weird sometimes."

Iris just smiled. "I…actually think they're kind of cute. The way they argue, it's like they're siblings."

Phoenix considered what she said. "Yeah, I think the same thing." He sighed. "So. What was it that you wanted to talk to me about, Iris?" _She sounded pretty nervous. I hope nothing's wrong. _

She had her hands folded in her lap, and she stared down at them. "Oh. I…er…I…wanted to tell you something, Phoenix."

He leaned forward a little. "What is it, Iris? Is something wrong?"

"Phoenix…I…I know it's been a long time since that trial, and…I'm sure you didn't want to see me again after that."

"That's not true, Iris."

She sighed. "One of the other reasons I came here, besides wanting to continue my studies, was…for closure."

"Closure?"

"Yes, closure. I…I needed to see you again. I figured that if I saw you again, I would be able to finally move on with my life, and…get over the past."

"And? Did it work?"

It was only because he was watching her closely that he saw her shake her head ever so slightly. "It…didn't. Seeing you again…it only made me realize…it made me realize…that I…still have feelings for you." Phoenix's eyes widened. "I…I know this is crazy, but…I still care a lot about you, Phoenix. I've…never been able to let go of you, to remove you from my heart." She looked up at him. "That's why I need to know!"

Phoenix's was taken aback by the sudden intensity in her voice. "You…need to know what, Iris?" He asked slowly.

"I…I need to know how you feel about me, Phoenix. I need to know if you still have for feelings for me too, or if it's just me."

"Iris. I…"

"Please don't feel pressured, Phoenix. I don't expect you to say yes. If anything, I'd expect to hear you say no. You don't need to lie to me to make me feel better. I've come here, after a lot of reflecting and debating, and I'm ready. I'm ready to accept the fact that you don't like me anymore like you once did, if that is the case."

Phoenix sat there, looking down at his desk. _Gee. Iris is being so strong, facing her feelings like this. It must've taken a lot of courage for her to do this. That's good to see. But…what…what do I tell her? I don't even know how I feel about her myself. Do I hate her? No! I could never, ever hate Iris. But…the question is…do I like her? _

His went back to Iris, who sat there anxiously. "Iris. I…appreciate you coming here and telling me how you feel. I know…how hard that must have been for you, and I have to say that I'm glad you had the courage to do so." He saw a hint of a smile on her face, but it disappeared as he continued speaking. "But…as for how I feel about you…I…I'm sorry to say that…I…I don't actually know…how I feel about you. Seeing you after such a long time, it…it's opened up some old wounds." She nodded. "That isn't to say that I…don't return your feelings. I…I just need time. Time to think through and…sort out my feelings."

"I…I understand, Phoenix. I'm sorry to have done this to you." She placed a hand on the desk and went to push herself to stand when he stopped her.

"Wait!" He reached out a hand and placed it over hers, the one that was on the table. Her eyes went to their hands before they went to his face. "Don't be sorry. Like I said, I just need time to digest and figure out everything is all. That doesn't mean I want you to be out of my life completely, Iris."

"O…Okay." She stared into his eyes, and he looked into hers. They both started leaning towards each other.

_Uh oh. I know where this is going. _And yet, Phoenix didn't bother to stop himself as he got closer to her, a hand holding her cheek.

RING, RING!

_Darn it! Stupid phone! _He and Iris immediately pulled away from each other, and grumbling, Phoenix answered his cellphone. "This is Phoenix Wright…Hey Edgeworth. Yeah? What?! Yeah?...Okay! I'll get there as soon as I can."

Phoenix hung up the phone. "Iris. I…need to go talk to Edgeworth. It's an emergency. But…I…I'll keep in mind what you said."

She nodded absentmindedly, her cheeks colored pink. Phoenix could feel his own cheeks were hot. He left the office and went off to go to Edgeworth's office, meanwhile thinking to himself about what had happened, or rather, almost happened in his office. _That…was…interesting. I guess that pretty much answers my question. _

**I'm hard at work on the next chapter, and I realized things are getting super complicated. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think by reviewing and/or leaving me a private message. Thanks!**


	25. Ch 24: Turnabout Attorney

**This is a relatively short chapter. There aren't really any couples in this. It's more informational really, so sorry if it's kind of boring! **

**************_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 24 – Turnabout Attorney

"Let me get this straight. One day, you tell me that she's associated with a crazy, corrupt and criminal family and that I need to avoid her, and now, you're asking me to defend this same person in court?! Make up your mind, Edgeworth!"

Edgeworth glared at him. "I'm not asking you to defend her, Wright. I'm just asking you to be her defense attorney." Edgeworth sat back in his seat, crossing his arms. "I know this might not be something you want to do, Wright, because most likely there will be a guilty verdict in this case, but the reason I want you to handle this case is because I want you to expose the truth, and you're one of the few defense attorney's I know and trust enough that I know that's exactly what you'll do."

_Whoa. He must be serious about this if he's actually complimenting me. _"What truth exactly are we trying to uncover here?"

"Ah yes. I guess that will become clear to you once I tell you everything I know." Edgeworth pulled out a file. "The victim is, as you know, the Phantom. What you may not know is that his real name is Keary Bandit, although, he has gone by the name Nemo."

"Did you just say Bandit? That means he's…"

"A part of the Bandit family? Yes, he is. He's one of the three brothers. Prosecutor Blackquill had spoken to him recently and found out this information."

"What did Blackquill need to speak to him for?"

"Did you already forget what told you about the missing documents at the police department?"

Phoenix recalled that conversation. "Right. I remember now. The Phantom got rid of them, didn't he?"

"Correct…well…almost. Prosecutor Blackquill highly suspected that he didn't completely get rid of the papers. He thought that the Phantom may have hidden the papers away."

"But where would he hide them?"

"Good question. That's what the police were looking into. Anyway, the Phantom was found dead in his cell. There were two other people at the crime scene. An inmate by the name of Thomas Guasto."

"And the other person was her."

"Ms. Sterling, yes. The detective who arrived on scene said that the inmate was standing a little ways away from the body, while Ms. Sterling was leaning over the body. She had blood on her person and her hands, not to mention her fingerprints were found on the murder weapon." Edgeworth handed Phoenix a file. "Here's the autopsy report."

Phoenix leafed through it. "Death by stab wound to the heart by a knife. Death was instantaneous." He looked up at the prosecutor. "Things don't look so good for her. But what would her motive be, Edgeworth? I mean, she couldn't have just randomly gone and killed the guy."

"There's a big motive she would have, Wright. Prosecutor Blackquill went a second time to speak with the Phantom, and he did indeed confirm to still have the papers in his possession, although he wouldn't say where. Think about it, Wright. Amongst those papers would be proof that Ms. Sterling is in fact related to the Bandits and working with them. She wouldn't want anyone to know of that, now, would she?"

"She wouldn't…but Edgeworth. Do you really think she would go as far as murdering him?"

"Wright. Even though we don't have conclusive proof, we can easily say the woman's working with one of the most illegally active families in the area. A family that doesn't care if it needs to resort to even murder if they need to get the job done or keep a secret safe."

"Alright, I see where you're going with this." Phoenix sighed. "My job is to believe in my client until the bitter end, Edgeworth. You know that."

"I do. I respect that, but Wright. I highly doubt anyone is going to take the case, especially given how much evidence there is against her."

"I'll…I'll take the case."

"Thanks Wright."

Phoenix shrugged. "Don't thank me yet. I've got a list of many favors you owe me." Phoenix smiled when Edgeworth smirked. "But joking aside, tell me more about Ms. Sterling, or what you know about her and her connection to the Bandits."

"When Prosecutor Blackquill first went to speak with the Phantom, someone passed by him, someone the Phantom seemed to know. Not to mention that when he was leaving the prison, he heard a female speaking to an inmate about how someone was visiting the Phantom. Unfortunately, a certain bird made a ruckus and caused the woman to flee. Luckily, this bird happened to snatch a piece of paper the woman dropped, and on it were the names of the victims of the last few cases that your agency took up."

"Let me guess. This woman was Serena."

"Nice deduction skills, Wright. Fingerprint analysis confirmed this. Something else that was interesting is that the inmate she visited, one Mr. Guasto, was the other person at the crime scene."

"Hm…okay. That's a lot to work with. This is going to be a tough one, I can tell. So Edgeworth. Who am I going to be dueling with in court this time?"

"Hmph. You'll be facing Prosecutor Blackquill himself. He hasn't had a case to prosecute in a while now, and it seems to have had an effect on him."

_Actually, I think there's another explanation for any change in his demeanor, that explanation being Athena. She always gets pretty upset when whenever Blackquill's mentioned. _

Phoenix stood up. "I guess I better get going then to meet with my client."

"Good idea Wright. I'll talk to you later."

* * *

"You can head right in, Mr. Wright," the prison guard said to Phoenix.

Phoenix was about to enter when he heard two people speaking.

"So I can take care of things for you? You're okay with that?" A male voice asked.

'I don't care what you do."

_That sounds like Serena. Who's that guy she's talking to?_

Phoenix stood back when he saw a man exit the visitor's room, but he stopped upon seeing Phoenix. "You're…you're Phoenix Wright! Legendary ace defense attorney!" The man grabbed Phoenix's hand. "My name is Walter Aaron, and I'm a major fan of yours, Mr. Wright! You're the reason I became a defense attorney!"

Phoenix was surprised by the man's gesture. _Hm. Never would've guessed dressed so snazzy would be such a fan boy, not that I mind having fans. _Indeed, this defense attorney was wearing a black dress shirt with a green vest over it, along with beige colored pants.

"Oh wow. That's…nice of you! I'm glad I was such an inspiration." Then Phoenix realized that the man had introduced himself. "You're Walter Aaron. By any chance, would you be related to Vicki Aaron?"

The other attorney smiled broadly. "Not related. She's my lovely bride. We've been married for ten years."

"That sure is a long time. Your wife is a good prosecutor, I'll say. She actually beat me in court."

The guy waved his hand in the air nonchalantly. "She got real lucky is all. I told her just that. I couldn't possibly believe that she had defeated you. But if you two were to see each other in court again, I'm sure you'd beat her!"

"Well, I don't know about that."

"Ha, ha, ha! Sure thing, Mr. Wright. Anyway, I need to get going. See you!" The man walked away.

_He seems like a nice guy. He and Vicki do seem like a good pair together. It doesn't really surprise me that they've been married for so long. If only I could've gotten married when I was back in my twenties. If that mess with Dahlia never happened, I bet I would've proposed to Iris on our one year anniversary…no! I've got to focus. _

Phoenix entered the visitor's room. Sitting on the other side, behind the glass, was his defendant.

"Hello Serena."

She looked up, and her eyes widened. "M..Mr. Wright? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to defend you. I'll be taking your case."

"That's nice of you, Mr. Wright."

_You wouldn't think that if you really knew why I'm going to defend you. _

"But I've already got an attorney."

"How about you tell me about…wait. What did you just say?"

"I said I already have a defense attorney."

"You…do?" _Uh oh…I didn't see this coming. _

"Yes. That man you just saw who left? He's my attorney."

"Is he now?" _Edgeworth! You told me no one would take on her case! _"Why did you hire him? I mean, not that I'm jealous or anything, but the agency's defended you once already."

"I owed him a…favor."

_You owe him a favor? I'm not sure I can buy that. _"Well then. Would you consider changing attorneys?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wright, but I can't."

"Are you sure? I mean, no offense to him, but…I really think I'd be able to get you out of this mess much easier."

"It's not that I doubt you could, Mr. Wright. But…I just think it would be best if you didn't take this case."

"But…"

"I'm sorry Mr. Wright, but…my decision is final."

_It doesn't look like I'm going to be able to convince her to change her mind. Oh well. I'm sure Edgeworth will find out about this and take care of things._

"Alright then. If that's really what you want, then I guess I can't force you."

With that, Phoenix left the detention center. As he went back to the office, he thought to himself. _It's not like I can make her become my client. She's probably worried that I'll find out about her secret. Too bad she doesn't realize I already know it._

* * *

**The next day…**

RING! RING!

_Ugh. Who's calling me right now? _Phoenix put down the duster and picked up the phone. "Hello. This is Phoenix Wright."

"Wright! Where are you?!"

"Hey! Don't yell! I'm at my office!"

"What?! Why aren't you here?!"

"Where's here?! And stop yelling!"

"The courthouse! You've got a trial today!"

"Edgeworth, seriously. Stop yelling. You're going to burst my eardrum, and I thought you found out that she already had another defense attorney she hired."

"And I thought that Officer Meekins would have informed you that the arrangements were changed. You're her defense attorney now."

"What?! Meekins never told me!" _You trusted Meekins of all people to tell me this Edgeworth? _

He heard the chief prosecutor sigh on the other line. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted that man to tell you, but there was no one else available, and for some reason, I couldn't reach your cellphone Wright."

_That would be because I kind of forgot to charge it, and it sort of died on me yesterday. I better make a note to myself to remember to always keep it fully charged. _

"Anyway, you better get yourself here as soon as possible, Wright. The trial starts in half an hour."

"Half an hour?! Edgeworth, I wasn't even able to talk to her properly and ask her about the case yesterday!"

"Well that doesn't matter at the moment. Just see to it that you get here before the trial begins without you!"

Phoenix heard the line cut. "Ugh…Edgeworth…" He ran a hand over his head, and then walked out of the office.

"Boss. Is something wrong?" Athena asked. She was sitting on the couch with Iris.

"Not really, Athena. Unless you would consider finding out that you're going to be defending a person you thought you weren't defending the day before just half an hour before the trial begins as being wrong."

Athena stood up immediately. "I'm going to come with you, Boss! I need to be in court! Please say you'll take me with you! Please, please, please?!"

"Okay, okay. I'll bring you." Phoenix then turned to address Iris. "Hey Iris. I didn't know you came in here."

"Oh…Athena invited me to come over here with her. I hope you don't mind."

Phoenix smiled. "Not at all. Hey. You…want to come see the trial?"

"Oh…um…I…that would be nice, actually."

He motioned with his hand. "Come on then. We've got to hurry if we want to get to court on time!"

With that, the three of them ran out of the Wright Anything Agency. As they were running, Phoenix came to a realization as he watched Athena run way ahead of him and Iris. _Oh no. We're going up against Prosecutor Blackquill. Gee, I really hope Athena won't be mad at me for not telling her. _

**This was meant to be a short chapter. The next chapter should be longer, and it's going to be focused on the trial. It's already half-written, but I don't know how soon I'll have it posted. Anyway, feel free to review or private message me. Thanks!**


	26. Ch 25: Turnabout Difficulty

**Here's another trial (the first part of it, that is)! Note: ****the testimony is in italics, thoughts are in parentheses, and actions are in brackets.**

**************_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 25 – Turnabout Difficulty

Judge: Court is now in session for the trial of Serena Sterling.

Phoenix: Phoenix Wright, defense team leader, is ready, Your Honor.

Blackquill: Hmph. The prosecution is also ready.

Judge: Right. Prosecutor Blackquill. Your opening statement?

Blackquill: Your Baldness. This is case is sickly simple. Must we waste time with an opening statement?

Judge: Well, I suppose we could…

Athena: Objection! Your Honor, it is unorthodox to not have an opening statement!

Blackquill: Silence! It's just a waste of time. Although, you like to waste your time, don't you Cykes-dono?

Judge: What do you mean, Prosecutor Blackquill?

Blackquill: Cykes-dono here likes to spend her time with rock stars and going to clubs to scope out young men. Surely she must enjoy wasting time like that.

Athena: You take that back!

Judge: Is that true, Ms. Cykes?

Athena: No! He's just being stupid!

Blackquill: How dare you call me stupid?!

Athena: I dared!

Judge: Oh my! This is quite exciting!

Phoenix: (It seems they've both forgotten that we're here to run a trial, not for them to have an argument! And it looks like His Honor is distracted by them. *sigh* I guess I should be the adult here.) Your Honor. We really should be getting back to the case at hand, shouldn't we?

Judge: Oh, yes. Of course. Ahem. Although this was getting quite interesting, I'm afraid we must move on with the trial.

Blackquill: I'd like to call the first witness. [A detective is brought to the stand.] Witness. Your name and occupation.

Detective: The name's Harley Quinn, and I'm a detective at the LAPD!

Judge: Please testify as to what you saw the day of the murder.

Quinn: You've got it, Your Honor!

1) _I was just doing my daily rounds in the prison. _

2) _I was walking by the entrance to the prison when I heard a gasp. _

3) _I bolted down the hall to where I heard the noise, and that's when I saw that awful site!_

4) _The doctor was sitting near the victim's corpse with blood all over her. _

Judge: Alright then. Mr. Wright. Your cross-examination, if you would.

Phoenix: (Hm…Where should I start? I guess I could press every statement and see where that leads me.) So, Mr. Quinn.

Quinn: Please call me Officer Quinn. I am technically a police officer, and Mr. Quinn sounds way too official!

Phoenix: Of course. Officer Quinn. You said you were doing your daily rounds in the prison. Could you elaborate on that?

Blackquill: Hmph. What's his prison rounds have to do with anything, Wright-dono? Don't tell me you like to waste your time like a certain other defense attorney.

Athena: Objection! That was unnecessary!

Judge: Objection sustained. Prosecutor Blackquill, please refrain from making unnecessary comments.

Phoenix: Thanks Athena.

Athena: Boss. You should press another statement. I don't really think we're going to get much information from pressing that statement.

Phoenix: …(Is that not what Prosecutor Blackquill was saying?! Oh well. I guess they both do have a point.) R…right. Sorry. You don't need to answer that question.

Athena: You said you heard someone gasp? Who was it?

Quinn: I believe it sounded like a woman gasping.

Athena: A woman? I wonder if it was Serena?

Judge: Hm…Officer Quinn. Please add that detail to your testimony. The defense may continue.

Phoenix: (I don't see any need to press the third statement, unless I want Blackquill to insult me and for Athena to indirectly agree with him.) Er…You said the doctor was sitting near the victim's corpse. Was she the only one at the scene?

Quinn: Nope. There was another inmate there. Mr. Guasto.

Phoenix: (Alright then. I've pressed the statements that needed to be pressed. Now it's just a matter of finding a contradiction.)

Athena: Boss! I see a contradiction! He said in his second statement that he heard a woman gasp when he was at the prison entrance, but then in his third statement, he said that he bolted down the hall!

Phoenix: You're right! How could he hear a person gasp from that far of a distance? I just need to present…the diagram of the prison. Take that! I'd like to call the court's attention to this diagram of the prison. As you can see, there's a large distance going from the prison entrance to the cell where the body was found. [Slams desk] Clearly, this proves that there is a contradiction in the witness's testimony!

Judge: You're right! Officer Quinn. Please explain this!

Quinn: Oh dear. It seems to be that I have remembered things a little differently. Forgive me. I tend to goof up remembering things like that! Now, thinking back, I heard a gasp when I was near the entrance, but that was actually one of the inmates. When I checked on him, I found out that he was taken by surprise by how the prison served such tasty desserts. I think he even said something along the terms of, 'being in jail isn't such a bad thing after all!'

Phoenix: (Great! The last thing we need is for people to commit more criminal acts with the reassuring thought in mind that prison serves good food.) So you didn't hear a woman's gasp.

Quinn: Oh but I did! I was near cell number 2107 when I heard the gasp, and I went over to cell 2109. That's where I saw the doctor and the body and the inmate.

Judge: I see. Well, I believe the cross-examination of this witness has gone on long enough.

Athena: Hold it! Your Honor! How can we completely rely on this man's testimony?! Clearly he doesn't remember things well enough!

Judge: Hm…that is a good point.

Blackquill: Hmph. That's not the main point. The main point is that this witness did see the defendant at the crime scene, with blood on her person no less. What more do we need to know?

Phoenix: (Whoa. Is he really trying to get the trial to end this quickly?! Think Phoenix. What's our next step?...That's it!) Your Honor! The defense would like to have the defendant testify!

Judge: Hm…that seems to be a good idea. Prosecutor Blackquill, do you have any objections?

Blackquill: Hmph. Do as you please. Obviously the whole lot of you have time to waste away.

Judge: Alright, Bailiff. Please bring the defendant to the witness stand. [Serena is led to the stand.]

Blackquill: Name and occupation.

Serena: My name's Serena Sterling. I'm an ER doctor.

Athena: She looks kind of down in the dumps, doesn't she Boss?

Phoenix: (Well, she is being tried for murdering someone. I can assure you it isn't the best feeling in the world, but yeah, she does seem down.)

Judge: Dr. Sterling. Please testify as to what happened that day in the prison.

Serena: …

Blackquill: Well, what are you waiting for?!

Athena: Hey! Give her some time to get her thoughts together!

Serena:

1) _I went to the prison for a visit. _

2) _When I got to the cell, there was a man there. _

3) _Soon, the detective came into the cell and saw the body. _

4) _He called for backup, and I was arrested. _

Judge:…

Blackquill:…

Phoenix:…

Athena:…

Judge: Is that all you have to say?

[Serena nods]

Phoenix: That was the vaguest testimony I've heard in a while.

Athena: So, what are you going to do, Boss? Are you going to press her statements?

Phoenix: That's exactly what I'm going to do.

Blackquill: A cross-examination is pointless. We should just get on to giving out the verdict.

Athena: Objection! We have a right to cross-examine a witness, don't we Your Honor?

Judge: That's correct Ms. Cykes. The defense may begin its cross-examination.

Phoenix: Ms. Sterling. You said you went to the prison to visit someone. Who was that?

Serena:…A…a friend.

Phoenix: A friend? Was it someone worked there?

Serena:…

Blackquill: According to the police report, she went to visit one of the prison inmates. One Mr. Thomas Guasto.

Phoenix: (Thomas Guasto. That's right. Edgeworth told me about him. I didn't know she was friends with a prison inmate…hm. I wonder what he has to do with all of this?) Ahem. Anyway, moving along. You said when you got to the cell, there was a man. Who was this man?

Serena: He's another inmate.

Phoenix: And what exactly was this man doing?

Serena:…He…he was…talking…

Phoenix: Talking to who?

Serena: The person in the cell.

Phoenix: The person you were visiting. Mr. Guasto.

Serena: Yes.

Judge: Please add that bit to your testimony, Dr. Sterling.

Athena: You see the inconsistency there, don't you, Boss?

Phoenix: I do. Ms. Sterling. That statement you made and your third statement contradict each other. You just claimed that the man was talking to the prison inmate, but then the detective came in and saw the body of the same man? When did the murder happen then?

Serena: !

Judge: That's a good point, Mr. Wright. Dr. Sterling. Please explain.

Serena: I…uh…well…

Blackquill: Isn't it obvious what happened, Wright-dono?

Phoenix: ?

Blackquill: The defendant is missing one very important part of her testimony. The part where she commits the murder.

Athena: Objection! No she isn't!

Blackquill: Objection! Yes she is.

Athena: Objection! She isn't!

Blackquill: Hmph. I don't have the patience to engage in such a juvenile argument with you. Witness. You will admit to the crime!

Athena: No! Ms. Sterling! Don't let him use his powers of suggestion on you!

Serena: I…can explain.

Athena: Please. Go ahead. We're listening.

Serena: I…I saw the man…and I…I…

Phoenix: (She looks…scared.)

Blackquill: Stop sounding like a broken record and speak up already!

Serena: !

Athena: Can't you see you're scaring her?! Please. Ms. Sterling. What was it you wanted to say?

Serena: I…I can't.

Phoenix: Please Ms. Sterling. Work with us here.

Serena: No. I can't.

Blackquill: Witness. Do us all a favor and admit to your crime. It will be a lot less painful and time-consuming that way.

Athena: Objection! No! Boss!

Phoenix: Yeah Athena?

Athena: I think we need to run a little therapy session for Ms. Sterling.

Phoenix: You sense something, Athena?

Athena: I felt a little bit of something initially. She seems to be trying to suppress her emotions, and she's good at it. Really good, but now, her noise level is pretty high.

Phoenix: Alright Athena. Let's try it out! Maybe this'll get her to talk.

Athena: All right! Ms. Sterling! If you or His Honor doesn't mind, I'd like to give you a little counseling session.

Serena:…

Judge: I'm alright with that. Um…how about you, Prosecutor Blackquill?

Blackquill: It won't do any good for the defense's case, but I don't see why not.

Athena: Okay! Come on Widget! Time to use the Mood Matrix! Let's work you magic, Widget!

(**AN: Yeah, so here's my attempt at the mood matrix. I can't say it's very good, but I tried!**)

Mood Matrix

1) _I went to the prison for a visit. _**Blue**

2) _When I got to the cell, there was a man there. _**Blue and Yellow**

_- He was talking to the prison inmate. _**Blue**

3) _Soon, the detective came into the cell and saw the body. _**Blue**

4) _He called for backup, and I was arrested. _**Blue**

Athena: This is a weird emotion here. When she saw the man there, she was shocked.

Phoenix: (Hm…that is strange) Ms. Sterling. You were obviously shocked or surprised when you saw the man. Why is that?

Serena: I didn't expect anyone else to be visiting, that's all.

Athena: Hm…that's odd. The noise…it didn't decrease.

Phoenix: It didn't?

Athena: No. I wonder…maybe she's…lying?

Phoenix: Hm…I guess that is a possibility. (Gee, it sure would be nice to have Apollo here with us. But…we've got to keep going.)

Athena: Let me run an update.

1) _I went to the prison for a visit. _**Blue**

2) _When I got to the cell, there was a man there. I didn't expect to see him there. _**Blue**

_- He was talking to the prison inmate. _**Blue and Green**

3) _Soon, the detective came into the cell and saw the body. _**Blue**

4) _He called for backup, and I was arrested. _**Blue**

Phoenix: Ms. Sterling. You were happy when you recalled seeing the victim talking to the inmate. Why is that?

Blackquill: Isn't it obvious? She was happy to see her victim.

Athena: Objection! Don't say stuff like that!

Judge: Please explain, Dr. Sterling.

Serena: I…was happy to see the prison inmate.

Athena: The noise went down a little Boss.

Phoenix: Good. We're on the right track then.

Blackquill: Hmph. This proves nothing! A few out of place emotions are worthless!

Athena: How could you say that?! This is analytical psychology at work here! You can't insult it!

Blackquill: It's quite easy to tell that the defendant is guilty without the use of analytical psychology, Miss Fancy Pants; otherwise, why would her fingerprints be on the murder weapon?!

Phoenix: Ugh…(I kind of forgot about that tiny little detail).

Judge: Dr. Sterling. Can you explain this to us? Why were your fingerprints on the murder weapon?

Serena: I…I…I touched the murder weapon.

Phoenix: What?!

Judge: Why did you do that, Ms. Sterling?

Blackquill: The answer is easy: she used it to kill the victim!

Athena: Objection! She was going to explain herself before you rudely interrupted her! Please go on and say what you were going to say, Ms. Sterling.

Serena: I touched it…because…

Blackquill: Must you continue to be so weak and nervous, witness? Speak up or I'll have Taka here make you!

Serena: !

Blackquill: Tell us about everything that happened that day! Tell us the truth and stop lying!

Athena: Boss…

Phoenix: What is it?

Athena: Ms. Sterling…her heart. It's…emitting many emotions right now. She seems to be distressed, and I think it has something to do with her testimony.

Phoenix: Alright. Let's go back and check it out.

**Blue, Yellow, and Green **

1) _I went to the prison for a visit. _

2) _When I got to the cell, there was a man there. _

_- He was talking to the prison inmate. _

3) _Soon, the detective came into the cell and saw the body._

4) _He called for backup, and I was arrested._

Athena: All we need to do is find out what is the cause of all of the emotional turmoil in her heart.

Phoenix: (Hm…it can't be the Phantom. She only seemed shocked when she saw him. The body wasn't it either. What could've caused these emotions?)

Judge: If the defense has nothing else to add, we will end the cross-examination here.

Phoenix: (Looks like I'll have to bluff my way through this one.) Your Honor! The defense is going to continue. Ms. Sterling. You seem to have a lot of emotions raging inside your heart about this whole crime. And I believe the cause of these emotions is…the prison inmate you went to visit!

Serena: !

Phoenix: (Given her reaction, I'd say I'm on the right track! I just hope no one asks me to explain my reasoning…)

Athena: Boss. Do you have an explanation to back up that claim?

Phoenix: Er…well…[Darn it!]

Judge: Dr. Sterling. Please explain yourself. Why did seeing the prison inmate cause so much emotional upset in you?

Serena:…

[Serena's eyes widened and her skin had gotten visibly pale. She tugs at her necklace desperately.]

Blackquill: I've had quite enough of your silence, witness! Speak now!

Serena: I…I can't. I…I can't…say it.

Athena: B…Boss.

Phoenix: (What's wrong with Athena? She sounds…worried.) What is it?

Athena: We…we need to stop the trial. We need to stop it right now.

Phoenix: What?! Why?!

Athena: We just have to, Boss. Please listen to me!

Blackquill: Witness! I demand you to talk!

Athena: Stop Simon! Stop badgering her!

Blackquill: Why?! She's wasted our time here!

Athena: No! Just stop forcing her! Can't you see she's really distressed?!

Judge: Dr. Sterling. Please…

Blackquill: What will it take to get you to speak?!

Serena:…

Gasps were heard in the courtroom when Serena collapsed on the ground.

**Oh boy! I can't believe I actually posted three chapters today! That's a major milestone for me! And another major milestone! This fanfiction is officially the longest one I've written and posted to date! That actually makes me really happy! I hope this chapter didn't really bore you guys much. Hopefully, things are going to get better in the next chapters, although the upcoming chapter might be a little long and confusing (and probably boring, although I hope that's not the case!). I don't know when I'm going to get the next chapter up because I've got finals coming up in two weeks, but I'll see what I can do in what little free time I might be able to salvage. Thanks, and feel free to leave me a review or private message me! **


	27. Ch 26: Turnabout Interrogation

**************So I worked on another chapter. It's not great (especially because I'm sick right now...ugh!). I hope it's not too bad!**

**************_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 26 – Turnabout Interrogation

_Well…the first day of the trial ended well, didn't it?_

"I wonder how she's doing. I could hear her heart screaming. She didn't want to say anything. She's hiding something, Boss. I'm sure of it." Athena was frowning. Ever since the trial had ended, her mood had been rather downcast.

_Athena seems to feel bad for Serena, even despite knowing that she's involved with the Bandits._

"Hm…I think you're right. It looks like I'll have to pay her a visit at the Detention Center today."

"Ahem. I'd like to accompany you, Wright."

"Edgeworth! Do you need to question her too?"

"Yes. I'm almost positive that she has some kind of connection to the family, but I can't figure out how exactly. I figured speaking to her might give me some answers. And from what the police have informed me, she seems to be doing alright."

"Right. Let's go then. I'll see you at the office later, Athena."

Before he could leave, Iris called out to him. "Phoenix!"

"Yes Iris? What is it?"

"Here. I was supposed to give this to you." She handed him a translucent, green stone.

Phoenix held it in his hands. "My magatama."

She nodded. "Pearl sent it to me through the mail. That's the other reason why I came to the office today. She wrote a small note for me, and she wanted me to tell you that it's completely recharged with spiritual power."

"Oh wow! Thanks Iris. This could come in handy."

"Um…would it be…would it be alright if I came along with you?"

Phoenix looked over at Edgeworth, who looked at Iris. "What for, Miss Fey?"

"Well…I…I'm actually going to be studying to become a paralegal, so I thought it might be good to get some exposure."

_A paralegal? Iris? I wonder what drew her towards that kind of career. _"Well, I can't say I have any objections. How about you Edgeworth?"

"I suppose you are right about getting experience, Miss Fey. Yes, you can come along."

* * *

The two men waited in the detention center visitor's room with Iris while the guard went to get Serena. They saw her walk in and take a seat.

"Serena," Iris said softly.

Phoenix went up to the glass. "Serena. You've got to talk to us. Tell us what happened that day." She had her head down and refused to look at either of them. "What did you see that day that upset you so much?"

She stayed silent.

"Wright. This isn't working."

"Sh. Serena. Let me rephrase that question. Why did seeing the prison inmate get you so distressed?" Her eyes widened.

Phoenix gasped. "What is it, Wright?"

"She's…she's got Psyche-Locks. Two red ones."

_Oh no. Psycho-locks! Not those troublesome things again! _"Well, try to break them!"

"I don't think we have enough information to do that Edgeworth, and she is not going to talk to us."

They were both surprised when Iris was the one who spoke up. "Serena. You didn't kill that man, did you? I don't think you have it in your heart to do something like that."

Serena still looked away from them.

"I think I know who we should speak to next, Wright."

"Who, Edgeworth?"

"Come on. We'll be back, Ms. Sterling." As they walked to the door, they noticed that Iris was staying behind. "Aren't you coming, Miss Fey?"

"I…I think I'll stay here."

"Are you sure, Iris?" She nodded. "Alright then. Let's get going, Edgeworth."

* * *

They walked past many prison cells to the one at the very end. They saw someone sitting in there, reading a book. Two eyes glared up at them. "Who are you? And what do you want?"

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "My name is Miles Edgeworth. I'm a prosecutor. This is Phoenix Wright, a defense attorney. We're here to speak to you about the recent murder that occurred. It's come to our attention that you were at the scene of the crime, and Ms. Sterling came here to visit you."

"Ms. Sterling? Who are you talking about?" The gruff voice demanded.

"Serena Sterling. She's an ER doctor? You must know her. She comes here to the prison to visit you, doesn't she?"

"Hm. More like she comes here to bother me. She just can't take no for an answer."

"What's your relation to her?" Phoenix asked.

"One. Why do you care? Two. I'm not going to tell you."

"You do know that she's a suspect in the murder, don't you?"

The convict's eyes widened a little.

_So the man finally shows some sort of emotion. Hm…Mr. Thomas Guasto. Charged for being an accomplice for the attempted murder of a prominent businessman many years ago. What could Ms. Sterling have to do with him?_

"I…wasn't totally aware of that, no."

"How do you feel about that?"

_Wright…he sounds like a psychiatrist…_

"How do I feel? Why would I care what happens to her?"

_Hm…interesting. He's tugging at something on his neck. _"Excuse me, sir. May I ask you a question?"

"Sure. I have time to waste."

"What's that around your neck that you're pulling at?"

"This?" He pulled out a gold chain with a locket on it. "It's my necklace.

"Where did you get that necklace from? Have you always had it in the prison?" _I'm surprised they allowed him to continue to wear it here. Usually, the convicts aren't allowed to wear jewelry, if I remember correctly._

"It's my old man's, a family heirloom, and I just happen to be an exception to the rule of no jewelry here. I was convicted long before they enforced that dumb rule. What's it to you?"

"Just…curious. So…you aren't going to tell us your relation to Ms. Sterling, are you?"

"Why do I need to? What good is that going to do for me?"

"Hmph…well. I guess you don't need to. And anyway, how do you people know about her?"

Phoenix took the reins from there. "She was my client in a murder case a few months ago. She's been a…an acquaintance since then."

"Oh yeah? What is she like?"

_Perhaps if we talk to him more, he might be willing to share some information with us. _Edgeworth spoke up. "She's quite a confident woman, I must say."

"Confident? Her?! Ha! That's the best laugh I've had all week!" The man laughed hard for a while, and then immediately became serious. "She's a wimp, a coward. She's not confident at all."

"And how exactly do you know that about her? What's your relation to her?!" Phoenix asked.

"I know her well enough to know that she's the least confident person in this whole world. She's just really good at seeming like she is."

"But you do realize that she is the suspect of the murder that happened here. Certainly she would need a good level of confidence in order to commit a murder," Edgeworth countered.

"Then you obviously don't know her well enough. She'd never have the guts to kill someone."

"Well, she isn't exactly agreeing to the fact that she didn't kill the man."

"Oh, so since she isn't saying she didn't kill him, that automatically means that she's guilty and did kill him. Because, I mean, there's no possible way for her to be lying."

Edgeworth frowned. "Hmph. Point taken." _The way this man speaks, he's making it seem like she isn't the one who murdered the Phantom. What good would he have if she wasn't convicted? _His frown became bigger. _Ugh. The more questions we ask, the more questions come up. _

"You were at the scene of the crime, weren't you Mr. Guasto? Are you going to be testifying in court?" Phoenix questioned.

"Why would I?"

"You're a witness!"

"Am I really a witness?"

"Of course! If you were at the crime scene, then that makes you a witness!" Phoenix explained.

"They aren't going to have me testify because I'm a convicted felon. Who's going to trust the testimony of an almost murderer like me?"

Edgeworth turned to Phoenix. "We should head back to visit her."

"What?! But…we haven't even learned much from this guy!"

"I believe we'll need to speak with Ms. Sterling before we speak further with this man. Come on, Wright."

As they walked back to the detention center, they noticed that Iris was standing outside, a sad look on her face.

"Iris. Is something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, it's just that visiting hours are almost over though."

_That's right. That seemed to have slipped my mind._

"Then we better get in there quick." The two of them rushed inside, and lucky for them, Serena was still in there.

"We know that visiting hours are going to end soon, but…before we go, I need to ask you something. Are you going to tell us what happened the day of the murder?" She shook her head.

_Of course she won't. _"I see. Well, I hate to sound rude and harsh, or even threatening Ms. Sterling, but I have no other choice. During the trial, it's very possible that you'll be called to the stand to testify again. And when it comes time to cross-examine you, whether or not you're willing to do so, we will get the truth out of you."

Serena looked away. "I...I understand that."

"So...are you still not going to tell us?"

"I...I can't."

"Alright, then. I guess that ends it for now. I'll see you in court." Phoenix turned to Edgeworth. "Let's get going."

They reached the door when she spoke up. "Mr. Wright. Mr. Edgeworth. I'm sorry for putting you through this...I'm know I'm being selfish."

The two men looked at her for a moment. "I really hate to say this, but…you are," Phoenix replied, and with one last look, he and Edgeworth left the room.

"Well Wright. I guess you have your work cut out for you. I'll try to get you any information that I can get, although I can't promise anything good."

"Alright Edgeworth. Thanks. Come on Iris. Let's get back to the office."

* * *

Iris and Phoenix were silent on their way back to the Wright Anything Agency; however, Iris uncharacteristically broke the silence. "Phoenix. Do…do you really think she killed that man?"

"Why do you ask, Iris?"

"I haven't known her for as long as you have, but…I really don't believe she could kill a person like that."

"I know that is a nice thought, Iris, but…we both know people aren't always how they seem. And…there isn't any conclusive evidence that would prove her to be innocent. If anything, the evidence points to her."

"Where did you and Mr. Edgeworth go?"

"We went to visit the prison inmate who was at the crime scene."

"And what did he say?"

"Well, he claims that Serena too cowardly to commit murder."

"He…was at the crime scene?" Phoenix nodded. He shot a sideways glance at her and saw she was deep in thought. "Why do you ask?"

"I…well…I'm certainly not a lawyer, but…maybe, is there a possibility that she's lying to protect someone?"

"Lying to protect someone…" Phoenix pondered that idea. "That…that's actually a possibility." _But then that would mean that she wasn't the one who committed the murder. Hm…_ "You know what, Iris? I think that's a wonderful point you came up with! I could definitely use that in the trial tomorrow!"

"So…you do want to prove her innocent, don't you?" Iris smiled.

"It's…well…Edgeworth wants me to uncover the truth, and that's what I want to do, but…he's also pretty convinced that she's the murderer. Me, on the other hand…"

"You want to believe in her to the bitter end." Phoenix nodded. "I think you're right in feeling that way, Phoenix. I don't think you should give up on her just yet."

They slipped back into silence. _Why didn't I consider that idea before? Man, Iris is pretty perceptive. I think she'd make a wonderful paralegal. I wonder if she might even want to work at the office. That's a nice thought._

* * *

"This is so not fair! The one time that I'm not here at the office, and I miss the chance to be in court!"

Athena laughed. "Too bad Apollo! You snooze, you lose!"

Apollo grumbled in the office. Athena had come back from a trial with Phoenix. "So…how did it go?"

"Well, considering that Serena passed out at the witness stand, the trial ended rather abruptly today."

"She passed out?! Whoa. That's intense. Although, I think what's more intense is that she actually killed the Phantom. I don't know how I feel about that."

"What do you mean, Apollo?"

"I mean, the Phantom is the guy who killed my best friend, among others, as you know. I can't say I feel bad that the guy's dead, but…I still don't think it was right for her to kill him."

"Yeah, I see what you mean, but…" Athena tapped her earring.

"But what Athena?"

"I'm not sure we can really say she did kill him. I mean, her fingerprints were on the murder weapon, but…I don't know. I felt a lot of emotions coming from her heart. She's definitely hiding something, but…I just can't put my finger on what it is."

"Really? Hm…sounds like an interesting case. Huh. I still can't believe you got to go with Mr. Wright! Who did you guys go up against?"

_She doesn't even need to answer that question, because her facial expression just answered it. _

"A certain prosecutor who besties with a bird."

_On second thought, maybe it isn't so bad that I wasn't there. But still…_

"So Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth are at the detention center?"

Athena nodded. "They went to talk to Serena, and you won't believe who was with them! Iris!"

"Iris? What was she doing there?"

"She came to watch the trial!"

_Even she was there at the trial. I sure did miss out! _

"It's getting late Apollo. I need to get back home and get a lot of sleep if I want to be on top of my game for tomorrow's trial! See ya!"

Apollo sighed. _If only I could go see the trial too! But of course. Mr. Wright has left me on babysitting duty. Oh boy! I can't wait to be a magician's assistant tomorrow. Oh well. I should be used to this kind of thing, but I do wish I could get involved in a case. _

**The second day of the trial is coming up! This was kind of a filler chapter, kind of. Please feel free to leave me a review and/or private message me! I can't say I'll reply immediately (technically, I wasn't supposed to be working on this chapter…but I couldn't resist the temptation!). Thanks! **


	28. Ch 27: Turnabout Confessions

**Okay, so I'll be honest. I didn't put all too much effort into the trial portion of this chapter, only because I'm pretty sick, and trials aren't my strong point, so I sped things up with this particular trial day. Maybe I'll work harder on the last trial, but yeah. (And WARNING: this chapter is focused on an OC backstory. You have been warned). **

******************_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!_**

Chapter 27 – Turnabout Confessions

Judge: Court will now reconvene for the trial of Serena Sterling.

Phoenix: The defense is ready, Your Honor.

Blackquill: The prosecution is ready.

Athena: Don't stand with your back to us!

Blackquill: Hmph. I do as I please.

Judge: Ahem. Anyway, yesterday's trial ended rather unexpectedly when the defendant passed out on the witness stand. Dr. Sterling. Are you feeling better now?

Serena:…Yes, Your Honor.

Phoenix: Your Honor. The defense would like to ask the defendant to testify once more about what happened the day of the crime.

Judge: Very well. Dr. Sterling, please testify as to what happened on the day of the crime scene once more.

Blackquill: Objection! The prosecution has a witness who wants to testify.

Phoenix: (Who could that be?)

Judge: Er…who's going to testify first then?

Phoenix:…The defense has no objections to having the prosecution's witness testify first.

Athena: What?! Boss! Are you sure we don't have any objections?!

Phoenix: Yes, Athena. Let's see what Prosecutor Blackquill has up his sleeve.

Judge: Very well. Bailiff. Please show the witness to the stand. [Witness is brought to the stand.]

Blackquill: State your name and occupation.

Thomas: Thomas Guasto. Prison inmate.

Phoenix: (He's testifying?! I thought they didn't want him to testify! Why didn't Edgeworth tell me about this?!)

Blackquill: Mr. Guasto was at the scene of the crime, and he saw what happened there.

Judge: Did you now? Then please testify.

Thomas: Gladly.

1) _I was in my cell, sitting there doing nothing._

2) _That's when the other guy came into my cell._

3) _He died._

4) _The police came and arrested that girl._

Judge:…

Blackquill:…

Phoenix:…

Athena:…

Judge:…That's it? That's all you have to say about the matter?

Thomas: What else did you want me talk to about?

Phoenix: (Ugh. Talk about a sense of déjà vu!).

Athena: Ha, ha, ha!

Phoenix: Athena. Why are you laughing at a time like this?!

Athena: Look at his face!

Phoenix: Prosecutor Blackquill's face? (Whoa. He looks shocked.)

Blackquill: Witness! This is not what you told me before the trial!

Thomas: You see. There's one tiny little thing I forgot to tell you then. I was lying. Sorry!

Blackquill: Gr…

Athena: Ha! Come on Boss! Let's cross-examine this guy! I'm hyped up!

Phoenix: (I think she's more hyped at the fact that Prosecutor Blackquill is so frazzled by his own witness.) So…where do we start? Mr. Guasto. You said you were doing nothing in your cell.

Athena: Boss…don't go there, unless you want the prosecution to aim a snarky comment at you.

Phoenix: Right. Of course. (Gee Athena. I was just trying to get as much information from his as I can!) Mr. Guasto. Sorry about that last question. Ignore it. You said the other guy came into your cell. By other guy, you mean…

Thomas: The victim. Who else could I mean?

Phoenix: (Well, given how vague your testimony was, I needed to clarify.) Why did he come into your cell?

Thomas: Don't know. I guess he wanted to talk to a veteran inmate. Did you know I've been in jail for 28 years?

Phoenix: (Well, I do now.)

Athena: What did you do?

Thomas: Oh. Just got involved in a murder, that's all.

Phoenix: (He said nonchalantly.) Well, The girl the police arrested. That was Ms. Sterling, yes?

Thomas: Did they arrest someone else? Because that would be news to me!

Blackquill: Enough! You've yet to press him on the most important statement of his testimony!

Athena: Where he said that the victim died. Mr. Guasto. Tell us about that in more detail.

Thomas: Ah, yes. The murder. That's the best part of this whole story. You're not going to believe what I'm going to tell you. I mean, you will, but it's going to blow your minds! You see. I…

?: Hold it!

Judge:!

Blackquill:!

Phoenix:!

Athena: !

Thomas: !

Judge:…Dr. Sterling! What are you…

Serena: This has gone on far long enough. I…I'm ready to testify about the murder.

Thomas:…What?

Serena: Please Your Honor! I want to tell everyone the truth.

Phoenix: (She's…she's going to confess?)

Judge: But…

Blackquill: Finally, it seems that someone's knocked some sense into this woman. Please, by all means, reveal the truth to all of us.

Serena: I…I'm the murderer. I killed the Phantom.

I went to go visit Mr. Guasto, and…I saw him talking to the Phantom.

I snuck into the cell, and I stabbed him.

That's all there is to it. That's the truth.

Phoenix: (Wow. She finally admitted it.)

Blackquill: Thank you for finally telling us the truth. Your Honor. I don't see any need to prolong this trial!

Thomas: Hold it right there! I wasn't finished!

Blackquill: What more do you have to say? Quite frankly, I don't want to hear another word from you!

Thomas: You may not want to, but I'm going to talk anyway!

Serena: Thomas! What are you doing?!

Thomas: Don't talk to me as if I don't know what I'm doing!

Serena: Please don't do this!

Thomas: Shut up! No one wants to hear your lies!

Serena: Who said I'm lying?!

Thomas: Ha! I know you're lying. Your little act is coming to an end. Ladies and gentlemen. I wish to announce that I am the true murderer.

Athena: Oh great. Now they've both confessed!

Phoenix: (This trial just got really crazy and really confusing really fast.)

Thomas: I killed the Phantom.

Blackquill: But…the defendant's fingerprints were on the murder weapon.

Thomas: I wasn't finished! What's up with all of you interrupting me?!

Phoenix: Fine, Mr. Guasto. Please, tell the court what you were going to say.

Blackquill: Objection! I…I see things clearly now. I understand exactly what happened the day of the murder.

Phoenix: You…do?

Judge: Then explain, Prosecutor Blackquill.

Blackquill: My explanation shall clear up any and all doubts from everyone's minds. Yes, it is true that Mr. Guasto was involved with the murder. He was the one who wanted the Phantom killed and orchestrated the act. However, it was in fact the defendant who did the actual act of murdering the Phantom.

Phoenix: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!

Athena: NO WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Thomas: You idiot! That's not what happened! Her fingerprints were on the murder weapon because…

Serena: Because I killed him! And it wasn't because Mr. Guasto told me to do so. I did everything on my own accord!

Thomas: Did I not tell you to shut up?! You need to learn to listen to your elders!

Serena: No! Just stop Thomas! Don't say it!

Thomas: Why not?! I'm a criminal, in case you didn't know. I've already done a whole lot of time, what's another 20 years to me?

Serena: Why are you doing this?! Are you just trying to torture me even more?!

Thomas: Torture you?! How am I torturing you?!

Serena: You…you wouldn't understand!

Phoenix: (She seems really upset.)

Athena: Ugh…there are so many raging emotions between the two of them, Boss.

Phoenix: The Mood Matrix…it's not going to help, is it?

Athena: No. This is way too much for it to handle.

Thomas:…Fine. I'll take back my confession. But on one condition.

Serena: What's that?

Thomas: You tell everyone the truth. The real truth. No trying to protect anyone.

Serena: But…but I…

Thomas: That's my last and final offer. Take it or leave it.

Serena: That's not even a real choice you're giving me.

Thomas: Well? Are you really going to disobey me like this? Never thought you had it in you to do something like that to me, and disrespect me, Serena.

Serena: ! Fine…If that's what you want…I'll…I'll speak.

Phoenix: (Whoa. What just happened here?)

Judge: Ahem. Dr. Sterling. If you will.

Serena: I went to the prison to go visit Mr. Guasto, something I do every week. As I approached the cell, I…I smelled something rancid in the air, and that's when I saw…I saw…

Judge: It's alright, Dr. Sterling. Take your time.

Serena: I saw the Phantom's body on the floor…with the knife sticking out of his chest. The door to the cell was open, so I ran in and…I checked to see if he was still alive. He was…already dead. In a daze, I…pulled the knife out.

Thomas: You're missing one important detail there.

Serena:…

Thomas: Come on now. Don't be shy.

Serena: The…the only person at the crime scene…other than myself, was…Mr. Guasto.

Phoenix: Which means…

Athena: That he…

Judge: Committed the murder.

Serena: No! That's not true! He…he didn't kill him! I know he didn't.

Thomas: Let it go. You've got to face the truth, whether you like it or not.

Serena: But…you didn't…you couldn't have!

Judge: Hm…I believe this trial has gone far enough.

Phoenix: Wait Your Honor! The defense believes that more investigation must be done before a final verdict is declared!

Judge:…Hm…Well, I guess I do believe more investigation must be done to confirm what happened, so we will end the trial right now, and reconvene tomorrow. Court is adjourned.

* * *

"Mr. Wright. I'm going to go to the police department and investigate there. Maybe I'll find out something when I'm there. Meanwhile, I think you should go talk to Serena and Mr. Guasto again and see what they have to say." She had her hands on her hips. "That was an insane trial in there."

_Tell me about it. _

"That sounds like a good idea, Athena. I'll see you at the office later."

Edgeworth came up to Phoenix. "Edgeworth. Why didn't you tell me that Mr. Guasto was going to be testifying?"

"Prosecutor Blackquill called him in at the last minute. I would've told you had I known earlier."

Phoenix nodded. "So it seems you were wrong, Edgeworth. She didn't kill the Phantom.

"That…does seem to be the case; however, I would like to speak with her once more. This time, we'll be able to get more out of her."

"We…will?" _He seems pretty confident, but then again, it is Edgeworth. _

"Yes, we will. I think I may have discovered something that could prove to explain a lot of what's happened in this case." He looked around. "Is Miss Fey not here?"

Phoenix frowned. "No. She has an interview at the University she needed to go to, but she wanted to see the trial. But anyway, let's head over to the detention center!"

* * *

They once again found themselves at the detention center visitor's room, where Serena was escorted inside.

"Serena. What was that all about at the trial today? Why did you confess?"

"Leave that matter for later, Wright. I want to go back to what we were talking about before with you, Ms. Sterling. About the prison inmate." Edgeworth saw her visibly tense up again. "Thomas Gusto."

"You mean Guasto."

"Er…yes, him. He's…someone who's very important to you, isn't he?"

Serena looked up. "I…"

"What are you talking about Edgeworth? Wait a second!" Phoenix turned to Serena, his eyes wide. _No way! I think I figured it out too. Edgeworth must've realized this before, when we went to visit him yesterday. _"I finally figured it out. I know what Mr. Thomas Guasto's relation to you is. He's…your husband."

"No!" Serena and Edgeworth replied at the same time. Phoenix and Serena's eyes went to Edgeworth.

"Forgive me for the sudden outburst, Ms. Sterling. I was just shocked by Mr. Wright's outrageous claim. Of course the man isn't her husband, Wright! That would be…" Edgeworth resisted the urge to shudder. He cleared his throat. "Might I make my own guess Ms. Sterling, and say…that he's your brother?"

Serena gasped. Phoenix noticed that one of the Psyche-Locks broke.

"How...how did you figure it out?"

"Your necklace. You and Mr. Thomas have the same necklace with the same, unique locket on it, a family heirloom he called it. It'd be quite surprising if they weren't somehow related to one another in some way, as the two of you are. You both have the tendency of gripping at it when you're nervous. Not to mention how you tried to defend him in court today."

Serena clutched her locket. "Of course. Our lockets. I almost forgot how Thomas has one too. They were from our parents. He has our father's, and this one is our mother's."

"So...Thomas Guasto is really Thomas Sterling, your brother." Phoenix stated.

Serena nodded. "That's right."

"I have to admit, Serena. It's quite a shock to discover that you two are siblings."

She let out a small, dry laugh. "I can understand that. You see. My brother and I...we have a very..." She thought for a moment, trying to find the right word. "Dysfunctional relationship. He's fifteen years older than me, and...by the time I was five, he had moved out to college. We didn't spend a lot of time together."

"And then he went to jail, correct?"

"That's right." Serena's voice had grown softer. "He was...accused of being an accomplice to an attempted murder. He was close to turning 21, so they gave him a sentence of 28 years."

"Who did he help to try murder?"

"No one."

Edgeworth's eyes went up. "Excuse me? What do you mean by no one?"

"He...he didn't try to help anyone commit a murder. Thomas...he was falsely accused. I know it, and he knows it too."

"But…how?"

"The prosecutor for the case…he…resorted to some…not so ethical tactics in order to get my brother a guilty verdict."

Phoenix couldn't help but ask her," By some crazy chance, was this prosecutor's name Von Karma?"

Her eyes lit up with recognition. "Yes! It was him!" She looked away from them, her eyes narrowed. "That man…he ruined my brother's life."

Phoenix glanced at Edgeworth, who was looking away, brows furrowed. _That…was probably not a good idea to bring that up…_

"Er, well. Anyway, it looks like you're going to be found not guilty."

"I…guess that's how it seems."

"Regardless of that, Ms. Sterling. There's still something you've yet to speak about, and we'd appreciate it if you would talk to us about it."

"What is it?"

"About the Bandit family."

"I…I'm not at liberty to speak about them."

"Serena…" _She's still got that other Psyche-lock. _

"I didn't want to resort to this, but…I plead the fifth."

_Darn! Pushed into a corner! But at least that's pretty indicative that she does have some connection to the Bandits. _

"Well then, Ms. Sterling. We certainly won't impinge on your rights. Come on Wright. We're done here for the time being."

* * *

_Hm…Even though she may not have killed the man, there's still the fact that she's somehow associated with the family._ _And I know that we can get this information from a certain inmate. _

"Mr. Sterling." Edgeworth and Phoenix were back at Thomas's cell.

"What…did you just call me?"

"Mr. Sterling. I'm afraid Ms. Sterling has revealed your identity to us."

"Well, for future reference, it's Guasto now."

"Right. Can you tell us anything about Ms. Sterling's involvement with the Bandit family?"

"You sure didn't waste time, huh Edgeworth?"

Thomas's eyes were enraged. "Did you just say Bandit family?" He growled. "What exactly are you trying to figure out?"

_Hm. Someone's acting a little hostile. That isn't suspicious at all. _"Mr. Guasto. We have every reason to believe that Ms. Sterling is somehow involved with the dealings of this family, and as you should know, this family has been under the suspicion for its many illegal acts and questionable activity internationally."

"Are you suggesting that Serena is a part of the group? That she's helping them out?"

"We don't have conclusive evidence, but we do have reason to suspect her, yes."

"You have no idea how wrong your suspicion is. Serena would never, ever try to help that family."

"What makes you say that, Mr. Guasto? Are you trying to deny that she has no relation to this family whatsoever?"

"As much as I truly wish I could deny that, I can't, and I won't. But I know for sure she wouldn't help them. If anything, she would try to fight against them."

"Why is that?"

"Don't you want to know how she's related to that family if she isn't helping them first?"

"Sure. Go ahead and explain."

"That family. As much as it disgusts me to say it, they are related to us. Serena and I. Mr. Giacomo Bandit married our father's mother, our grandmother, after our grandfather passed away. Mr. Bandit had three sons, who became our dad's step-brothers. They all got close. Really close. Which is why Serena and I grew up around them…or…I sort of did. I never liked them. They were shady characters, the lot of them. They changed our parents. Made them into monsters like they were."

"Parents?" _Hm…I didn't even consider asking Ms. Sterling about them. _"Where are they right now?"

"They…died, a long time ago."

"Oh."

"Doesn't matter."

Phoenix spoke up. "Then what about Serena? Where does she come into all this?"

"When our parents were died, I…I wasn't of age to take care of her. She had to go stay at an orphanage for a while. It was about three months before I turned 21. I…had gotten all of the papers ready so that the day I turned 21, I could take her into my care, but then…"

"You got arrested."

"Yeah. The only other family we had left for her to go to…the family that took her in, was them. The Bandits."

"They took her in?!" _That sounds uncharacteristically kind of them!_

"Yeah, but their intentions were anything but honorable." His eyes darkened. "Greed, jealousy, betrayal, hate. That was…is…the basis of that whole family. And in the middle of it all...was my sister. She was often kept in the dark about their dealings. And well…they...didn't raise her like parents. They really didn't raise her at all. I mean, yeah they did provide for her to some extent, but that's only because they didn't want anything to get in the way of their money...the money she was thought to inherit when she turned 18. They kept watch on her until then." He stopped.

"So what happened when she turned 18?"

"They discovered the truth."

"The...truth?" _This sounds interesting. _

"All those years, the sole reason they took her in was to get the money from our parents. Could you imagine their disappointment when they found out that in our parents last will and testament, they didn't leave so much as a penny for her?"

"Wh...what? Why not?! She was their daughter after all!" _This man is making no sense at all!_

"Hmph. That's where the problem lied..."

_What does he mean by that?_

"Mom and Dad...they also went to business, like the Bandits. After I told them that I wasn't interested in continuing their legacy as entrepreneurs, they needed another heir to their business, and it had to be a boy. So they had another baby, but they...had Serena instead."

_So? What difference would that make?_

(**AN: And cue the backstory…I hope you guys don't completely hate me for this! If you guys want to spare yourselves of the backstory, then please skip ahead a few paragraphs!**)

His eyes grew solemn. "I never told her this. She doesn't know to this day that…Mom and Dad…they didn't want her. And…I hate to say this, but they...they almost gave her up to an orphanage. It's only because I sort of threatened to reveal their plan to the public and their friends that they didn't do it. I...I was just fifteen back then, when they had her, but...I was the one who took care of her, along with the maids and our butler. I felt responsible for her; and...I felt guilty." He looked away. "I refused to get involved in our parents' business, mainly because I wasn't interested in business. Not to mention I knew there was shady stuff going on. It's because I stepped back that they...had Serena... Every day…even to this day, I wonder. Maybe if I had changed my mind when she was born and took on the family business, maybe they could have loved her instead of disliking her for not being a boy."

"Serena. What happened once the Bandits found out about the money?" Phoenix asked.

"That was the point where they didn't want anything to do with her, and she, them. They went through some legal processes, but eventually, my sister was no longer considered a part of their family. She went off on her own after that." He sighed. "Her life…it's been so rough, but she refuses to let anyone know about that side of her life. She's got this annoying habit of making sure everyone else around her is happy, even if she isn't. It took her a long time to tell me about her life with them. Until then, I…I hated her. With a passion. I thought she had actively chosen to go with the family, when I told her that I would take care of her. I made her promise that no matter what happened to me, she absolutely could not go live with that family. So when I found out that she had done what I told her not to do, I was…angry. I developed a deep hatred for her. For the longest time, I hated my sister because I thought she went with the people who corrupted our parents. I even went as far as thinking that she was in on their dealings. I soon came to learn that…that wasn't the case."

"She was a young five year old girl. She had lost her parents, and…the person who promised to take care of her, raise her, protect her, broke his promise and disappeared without a trace, abandoning her. She needed love, so of course if they went to her claiming that they would give her all of the love that she would ever want in her life, she would naturally agree, or so most would think, but she didn't. She told them how I told her not to go with the family. Of course, theywere able to work their way around that, saying that she didn't understand that she was listening to and fulfilling the request of a criminal, that they would be the perfect guardians, especially since they were, even if only by marriage, the only family she had left."

"So Serena grew up as a part of the Bandit family?"

"Yeah, but…they referred to themselves as the Radcliffes, since it's a more…prestigious name, at least according to them. Serena...The environment she was raised in, she was pretty taught that obedience meant love. If she obeyed them, they would love her. I felt bad, subjecting her to the same thing in court today."

_That's right. I do recall him telling Ms. Sterling about how she was disobeying him…I'm not so sure I approve of that tactic. _

"I know it was awful to do that to her, but…I knew that was the only way to get the truth out of her. And anyway, she was...constantly insulted and criticized by them. They didn't care about her at all. The only reason they took her in was for the money. Then, they soon learned that the money was written in my name, and she had nothing. But…for the longest time, she thought they genuinely loved her. She thought their abuse and insults were expressions of love. She never wanted to disappoint them. She was constantly looking to impress them. She even agreed not to go to college because of them, and much more. So…when she learned of their true intentions, and their hatred of her, she…she was devastated. She nearly had a breakdown. Luckily, she had gotten help, and escaped."

"For the longest time, I was led to believe that she had chosen to live with the family for all those years. I don't want to say this…but…I hated her. Immensely. I wanted her to suffer for the betrayal. Little did I know that she really was suffering." Tears could be seen going down Thomas's face.

_That's…a lot more than I bargained for. _

Phoenix shook his head. "That's…a crazy story. Did she really go through all of that?"

"She did. Although, I'm sure you find it hard to believe. She…she certainly has grown up to be quite independent. She…she's made me proud." For the first time since they met the man, he cracked a smile.

(**AN: For those of you who skipped the backstory, here's a summary: Serena was 'raised' by the Bandits, and by raised, I mean she wasn't treated very well. She was just a source of money, since they thought she was going to inherit all of her parents, when in fact, her parents never wanted her in the first place. They wanted her to be a boy and take over their business. Thomas feels bad because he refused to be a part of the family business, which was what compelled his parents to have another child. The Bandits then abandoned her once they found out she was pretty much worthless to them. That's the basic gist of it.**)

_That's a hard story to make up like that. I must say that I'm inclined to believe it. This man wouldn't have any reason to lie to us. _

"Now…about the Phantom. You know that he was a part of the Bandit family, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. That's why I was talking to him. You see, that day, when he was killed, I…I had found his body. He was still alive then. I went over to him, but he told me to stay away. He…he said something about how some papers had been stolen from him, and before I could get him to tell me who stabbed him…he was dead. And then, Serena got there."

"Excuse me." Edgeworth and Phoenix turned to look up at the prison guard. "Mr. Guasto. It's time for your check up."

"Can't I delay it?"

"No…doctor's strict orders."

"Fine." Thomas turned to the two men. "I just have one request to make to the two of you, if you don't mind. Please, please…don't tell her about our parents. I know that one of the few reasons she's gotten this far…is because she thinks they loved her unconditionally when they were alive, and she didn't want to disappoint them. If she knew…if she knew the truth…the brutal truth…it'd…it'd break her heart."

_Hm. I can't say I'm inclined to cover up the truth, no matter what the circumstances or how brutal it is. _Nevertheless, Edgeworth found himself reply by saying, "We won't."

**That was probably a major overdose of tragic backstory right there. I know what're all thinking about Serena, I'm sure, but I'm not going to say it here. Anyway, I promise there isn't going to be any more backstory for the OC! Things are going to shift back to normal, back to the mystery and the Ace Attorney characters. (I sincerely hope you guys don't hate me for this chapter!). Anyway, feel free to leave me a review and/or private message me! Thanks!**


	29. Ch 28: Turnabout Attack

_**I had some free time today since I don't technically have a class tomorrow, so I figured I'd kind of get working on the story a bit more. (Not to mention that I'm still sick, so it's hard for me to get anything else done). Hope you guys like this chapter. There isn't too much to it really. **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!**_

Chapter 28 – Turnabout Attack

"So, we know all about Serena's involvement with the Bandits, or lack thereof. What's our next move, Edgeworth?"

"You said that she had Pyscho-locks, right? Are they broken?"

"One of them broke when we found out about her brother, but there was still one there."

"Then we should be able to break that one now with information we just got."

They once more had Serena summoned to the visitor's room at the detention center.

"We know all about your connection to the Bandit's, Ms. Sterling."

_Gee Edgeworth. You seriously don't waste time. _

"You…do?"

"Yeah. Your brother told us all about it. Gave us the whole backstory and everything," Phoenix explained what Thomas had told them.

"He told you…all of that?" She rolled her eyes. "Seriously. Can't he just leave the past where it belongs?"

"So…he was telling the truth? About how you…grew up with them?" _I mean, I believed him, but…I did have a small bit of doubt. _

"Well, I guess I don't really have a choice but to confirm what he's said to you. I…owe the two of you that much."

"Wright. Is it gone?"

"No. It's still there."

"Your brother claimed that you were working against the family. Is that right, Ms. Sterling?"

"As I told you before…I can't tell you that."

"We're on your side, Ms. Sterling. We want to expose the family and have them arrested too, but…it would be a lot less difficult if you would come out and speak. Let the world know what they're like. I highly doubt anyone will try to stop you."

"I…I just can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I tried once. I…I approached a detective a while ago, telling him about what had happened, and how I suspected that the family is behind all of the things that were happening."

"And what happened?"

"Literally the next day after I had spoken to him, my brother…he was poisoned…and he almost died. They claim it was an accident, but…it was way too structured to be an accident…It was pretty obvious someone planned it. Ever since then, I…I haven't told anyone."

"But this could be your chance to get them behind bars, Serena."

"Not before they have something done to my brother. They'll know…the minute I say anything that will expose them, they'll find out…and…they'll kill him. I…I can't risk losing him. He's…he's all I have left."

_If I didn't know any better, I'd think that she's being threatened by them. _

"So you're still not willing to comment on this picture taken of you?" Edgeworth pulled out the image.

"I'm afraid not. Although, I must ask Mr. Edgeworth. Where did you get that picture from?"

"Er…a…colleague of mine, provided it to me."

"Oh. Okay."

"Well Serena. I guess that's all we really have to talk about to you. At this rate, you'll be found not guilty at tomorrow's trial."

"Um…what about T…I mean, Mr. Guasto?"

"What about him, Ms. Sterling?"

"Is…is he going to be charged for the murder?"

Phoenix looked over at Edgeworth before turning back to face her. "Well, given the testimony you gave…he does seem to be likely culprit."

"Please…don't find my brother guilty. I know he may seem like a bad guy and all, but…he isn't…He really isn't. There's no reason for him to want to kill the Phantom, because he was working with my brother. The two of them…they were going to expose the Bandit's secret…that was their plan."

"Are you a part of that plan too, Ms. Sterling?"

"N…no. I…They asked me to help them, but…" She shook her head. "It would be too risky."

"Hm. Right. Well then Wright. We should get going. You need to investigate don't you? And I need to get back to the office."

* * *

_Hm…I wonder where Detective Quinn is?_

Athena was searching the criminal affairs department at the police station for the detective.

_Oh! There he is! Looks like he's talking to…hmph. Ms. Pumpkin prosecutor. Ugh. I really don't want to talk to her. _

She waited a few minutes for the prosecutor to leave before approaching the detective. "Hello Detective Quinn!" Athena greeted him cheerily.

"Hey! You're that defense attorney from the trial! What can I do for you?"

"I was just wondering if maybe you could talk to me a little more about the crime scene at the jail? I'm doing some further investigation."

"Oh dear. You see, I'm helping Ms. Aaron out right now, but you could talk to Detective Gumshoe. He should be able to help you out."

"Oh, okay! Thanks anyway!" Athena waved at him and then headed toward Gumshoe's office. She marched right in.

"Hey pal! How's it going?"

"Good Detective Gumshoe. I was wondering if you would happen to be able to help me with my investigation."

"Right! The murder in the prison, right pal? Well, Detective Quinn is the one who's in charge of that investigation."

"He's actually busy, so he referred me to you."

"Oh really? Well then," Gumshoe pulled out a key and handed it over to Athena.

She looked down at it and then back up at the detective. "What's this for?"

"Key to the evidence room, of course!" (**AN: So I was doing some research, and I found that the evidence room mentioned in AA has lockers which have fingerprint recognition devices. For the sake of the story, I'm just going to pretend that they changed all of that. Just in case anyone was curious.**)

"Er…are you supposed to be giving me this?" _Is he supposed to this happy to be helping the defense out?_

"Now pal. This isn't eight years ago, where the police are working against defense attorneys. We're all a team, you know? The defense attorneys, prosecutors, and us detectives. We're all working together to pursue the truth and convict criminals for their crimes!"

Athena smiled. "I like that thought, Detective Gumshoe." She threw the key in the air and caught in her hand. "Thanks Detective! This should prove to be very helpful to me!"

Athena made her way to the evidence room. _Looks like there's no one here. Well, time to do some snooping!...I mean, investigating. _

She went over to the cabinets where the case files where kept. She leafed through them until she found the file for the current case.

"Hm, let's see. Autopsy report, police report, images of the crime scene, fingerprint analysis…" Athena searched the whole file. She sighed. "Ugh. I shouldn't have expected this to be so easy."

She opened the cabinet to put the file in. _Man! There was nothing good in there! Wait a second. What's that thing at the bottom? _Something had flashed in the cabinet. Athena reached down and felt something smooth. After struggling for a while, she was eventually able to pull out the thin disk. "Security footage." _Huh. Why was this underneath all of those files? And why did no one mention it at the trial? _

Looking around, Athena went over to the small TV which had a little DVD installed in it. She popped the disk in and watched the video.

"This is around the estimated time of the murder!" She leaned in closer to make sure she didn't miss anything in the video. Her eyes widened as she saw the truth of what had happened that day. _No way! The real culprit is…_

* * *

Edgeworth sat in his office, sipping on a cup of tea and staring out the window.

_So whoever killed the Phantom must have those papers with them, and they've probably discarded them already too. If only Ms. Sterling would speak up. It would make my life much easier. _

He heard someone knock on his door. "Come in," he sighed.

"Chief Prosecutor."

"Prosecutor Blackquill. Is…something wrong?"

The young prosecutor seemed uneasy. "Sir…something has happened, and…I'm afraid I won't be able to prosecute at the trial tomorrow."

Edgeworth was surprised. _This is quite unlike him._ "What happened?!"

"Er…well…someone…someone very dear to me has been hurt, and…I must be with them."

_Could it be his sister? No, I would've heard if something happened to her. Who else could it…oh no. _

"You…you wouldn't happen to be speaking about Ms. Cykes, are you?" _I really do hope I'm wrong. _Edgeworth saw the slight nod of the prosecutor's head. "I…I see. Well, I…I suppose I could allow you to step down from the case."

"I know what an inconvenience that will be to you, Chief Prosecutor. I'm sorry."

"It's…it's fine, Prosecutor Blackquill. Luckily, I know just the person who can replace you."

Blackquill left the office after saying goodbye. _What happened to Ms. Cykes? Perhaps I should give Wright a call, but first, to get everything ready for tomorrow. _

He picked up his phone and dialed an extension. "Hello, Mrs. Aaron? Yes, I was calling to ask you if you would be able to fill in for Prosecutor Blackquill. Something came up and he's unable to prosecute tomorrow…You can? Wonderful. I appreciate it. I'll make sure you receive all of the information on the case as soon as possible. Thank you for doing this on such notice."

He hung up and then picked up his cellphone and dialed Phoenix's number.

* * *

"How's Athena doing Daddy?"

"The doctors said she was hit pretty hard on the head, but they didn't find any signs of internal bleeding."

"What a relief," Iris said.

Phoenix nodded. "She hasn't woken up yet, but her condition is stable. The question is who did this to her, and why?"

"Poor Thena," Juniper said sadly.

Apollo sighed. "Well, one thing's for sure." Everyone looked at him. "Athena's officially a part of the Wright Anything Agency."

"What do you mean Polly?! Of course Athena's already officially a part of the agency!"

"What I mean is that she's gotten hit on the head, like Mr. Wright and me."

Trucy, Juniper and Phoenix glared at Apollo, while Iris just looked surprised.

"Then that means you're still not officially a part of the Wright Anything Agency, Apollo."

"What do you mean Mr. Wright?"

"Athena and I have been accused of murder and arrested. You, on the other hand, haven't. So I wouldn't be the one to talk."

"Geez. I was just trying to lighten up the mood! No need to gang up on me!"

The five of them were sitting in the waiting room at the hospital where Athena had been admitted.

They heard rushed footsteps coming to their direction. Looking down the hall, they saw someone running towards them, along with nurses yelling at the person to stop running.

"Hey! Isn't that…" Trucy began.

"Prosecutor Blackquill," Apollo finished.

Indeed, there was the prosecutor. He was breathing heavily. He spoke to Phoenix. "Wright-dono! Where is she?!"

"Athena?" Phoenix pointed to the closed door. "She's in there." He watched as the prosecutor barged into the room. "But you aren't supposed to…" The door shut behind him. "Go in there."

"Whoa. He looked pretty upset," Apollo said.

"Yeah, you're right. I don't think I've ever seen him like this."

**Inside the room…**

Simon gasped at the site he saw. There was Athena, happy cheerful Athena in a hospital bed, eyes closed.

He slowly made his way towards her. _Who…who did this to you?! Whoever it is, they'll be punished severely! _

He was now standing right beside the bed. She had a bandage wrapped around her head. He reached out his hand and touched it, then covered her head with his hand. It brought back the memories of when he would pat her head, back when they were at the Space Center together.

He pulled up a chair and sat down in it. "Cykes-dono…no. Athena. Why did this have to happen to you?" He looked up at her, and as he expected, her eyes remained closed. The only thing that was reassuring him was seeing the rise and fall of her chest. "I…I want to apologize for how I've been acting in court, and how I've been acting towards you in general. There's so much I want to tell you, but…I just can't get myself to say it."

He again glanced at her. _I was supposed to protect you, Athena. And…I've failed to do so…_ Simon held his head in his hands.

* * *

"MILES EDGEWORTH!" The door to his office had been opened abruptly.

"Franziska." _Of course she wouldn't knock on my door. _

SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!

"Agh!"

"How dare you assign that…that rookie that case?!"

_It would seem she's already heard about the changes. _"Ahem. Franziska. I believe that Mrs. Aaron would be quite capable of taking over this case. She maybe a rookie, but she's quite competent."

"That's what you think! Why would you not assign me that case?!"

"Hmph. I figured you wouldn't want to pick up from where Prosecutor Blackquill left off is all."

"Regardless, you're letting a rookie like her take on such a big case, especially one that deals indirectly with that family?!"

"Franziska. I'm afraid I've already asked her to take over. I can't just call her and request her to hand over the case to you. I was already quite hesitant to allow Prosecutor Blackquill to step down in the first place."

"I don't know. For some reason, I don't like that prosecutor. She seems…I don't know what it is."

"Here's an idea Franziska. Dare I say it, but perhaps you're just jealous of her?"

SNAP!

"I am not jealous, Miles Edgeworth! I have no reason to be jealous of a rookie prosecutor."

"Even though she won against Wright? Surely that upset you significantly."

Edgeworth was surprised when she didn't whip him again. She just stood there with her arms crossed.

"I see no reason to comment on that. However, I still stand by what I say. I don't like that woman. I believe you should watch out for her." She marched out of the office.

_Can't you just be a little grown-up and admit that you're jealous? It's not like anyone else is going to know. _

Edgeworth shook his head and then considered everything that had happened related to the case up until that point. _Ms. Cykes was attacked in the evidence room. She must have found something related to the case…but what was it? And who attacked her? Could it be that…someone at the police department could know something about the murder, or worse, be the culprit? _

Edgeworth groaned. "I really do hope that isn't the case, but I can't worry about that now. I'll let Mrs. Aaron take care of that."

**The final day for the trial is coming up! Who do you think is the culprit? Feel free to leave a review or private message me. Thanks!**


	30. Ch 29: Turnabout Revelations

**Thanks for all of the reviews! Here's the final day of the trial. It's slightly different in that some parts of it are in paragraph form. Hopefully it'll be easier to follow. **

**__****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!**

Chapter 29 – Turnabout Revelations

"Thanks for letting me join you, Mr. Wright."

"No problem Apollo. I get this feeling you might come in very handy in this trial."

Apollo adjusted his necktie. "Of course I will."

_Great. I just boosted his ego. I need to watch what I say. _

But Apollo frowned. "I…just wish I didn't have to come in under these circumstances."

Phoenix knew what he was taking about. _Yeah. If Athena hadn't been attacked, she'd be with me today. I hope she wakes up soon._

"Well, at least Prosecutor Blackquill will be watching over her."

"Yeah, that's surprising. But Mr. Wright. If Serena's innocent, doesn't that mean that Mr. Guasto is the one who killed the Phantom?"

Phoenix tapped his chin. "You know, that's what I thought at the trial, but when Edgeworth and I went to visit him, he told us all about Serena's relation to the Bandits, and…I don't know Apollo. I just don't think the guy's capable of being a murderer. Not only that, but Serena asked me to defend him too."

"So…we have…two clients now?"

"I guess you could say that, yeah."

"Okay then. So do you have any idea who could've killed the Phantom, if it wasn't them?"

"I've got a hunch."

Apollo stared at him, then shook his head. "Well? Who do you think it is?"

"I…I think we should wait for the trial to figure that out."

"Mr. Wright. Court is about to reconvene.

* * *

Judge: Court will now reconvene for the trial of Serena Sterling.

Phoenix: The defense is ready, Your Honor.

Judge: Ah, Mr. Justice. You're filling in for Ms. Cykes. How is she doing anyway?

Apollo: She got hit pretty hard on the head, but it isn't anything too serious.

Judge: That's good to hear. And Prosecutor Blackquill had an…emergency to attend to, so he's been replaced by Prosecutor Aaron. Is the prosecution ready?

Aaron: Yes Your Honor.

There was some hubbub where Serena and Thomas were sitting. Serena was shushing him.

Judge: Er…Dr. Sterling. Is everything okay?

Serena: Yes Your Honor. Sorry. Mr. Guasto here was being disruptive.

Phoenix: (I wonder what they were talking about. And why does he look so mad?)

Judge: Prosecutor Aaron. If you would give the court a recap of what's happened so far?

Aaron: With pleasure, Your Honor. The first day of the trial ended rather abruptly after the defendant passed out. As for yesterday, we heard two confessions, one from the defendant and the other from the witness. After lying to the court, the defendant admitted that Mr. Guasto was the one who was at the crime scene.

Judge: Is that all Prosecutor Aaron?

Aaron: As for the recap, yes, that's all Your Honor. However, I must ask. How do we know that the defendant wasn't lying again?

Phoenix: …What do you mean?

Aaron: Mr. Wright. Your client supposedly lied and said that she was the one to kill the Phantom, and then after much pressuring, she told the court the truth. But…what proof do we have that she wasn't the one who killed the Phantom?

Phoenix: Are you trying to say you think Ms. Sterling is the killer?!

Aaron: I'm not saying that explicitly, but think about it Mr. Wright. Her fingerprints were on the murder weapon.

Phoenix: But she explained how she pulled the knife out of his body!

Aaron: True, true. But let me ask you this. Are there any other fingerprints on the murder weapon? I mean, if she really is innocent, then that means someone else touched the murder weapon. But are anyone else's fingerprints on it?

Judge: Hm…The prosecution brings up a good point.

Phoenix: (That's a good point…)

Aaron: The prosecution would like to call Detective Quinn back to the stand to testify about the evidence found for the trial.

Judge: Very well. Bailiff, please bring Detective Quinn to the stand.

[Detective Quinn is brought to the stand.]

Quinn: So you want me to talk about the evidence? Sure thing!

Judge: Yes, please tell us about the evidence.

Quinn: Yes. Well, fingerprint analysis showed the Serena Sterling's fingerprints were on the murder weapon. She was at the crime scene, along with Mr. Guasto. There was no one else at the crime scene.

Phoenix: That's it? That's all of the evidence you have?

Quinn: Ah yes. There was one thing I…I kind of overlooked.

Judge: And what was that?

Quinn: Ha, ha, ha! I….sort of forgot that we have security footage from the prison.

Judge: You had footage, and you waited until NOW to bring it up?!

Quinn: I…sort of lost it. Sorry, Your Honor!

Phoenix: (Some detective he is…And I thought Gumshoe was bad…)

Aaron: Then please, stop wasting time and play this footage for us.

The court went silent as the CD was played. They saw Serena entering the cell, and the next thing they heard was someone screaming in agony, followed by Detective Quinn running down the hall and into the cell.

Phoenix: (N…no way. This tape…this tape…)

Aaron: Well, I can't help but wonder how you'd be able to show us that Ms. Sterling is innocent, Mr. Wright. According to this tape, she entered the cell, and someone screamed. I think the court would agree with me in my assertion that it was a man who screamed.

Judge: This does change things.

Phoenix: (But…that doesn't make sense. Serena wasn't lying to us. I just know it! But…that tape makes it seem like she was the one who did it.) [Phoenix noticed that Apollo was leafing through some papers.] What are you looking for Apollo?

Apollo: I'm looking for Detective Quinn's testimony. Here! I found it. He said that he heard a gasp, or rather, two of them. But…if we consider this tape, he didn't hear a gasp. He heard someone scream.

Phoenix: Nice Apollo! [Slams desk.] Detective Quinn! You said on the first day of the trial that you heard two gasps, the second one being Ms. Sterling's and that's when you ran down to the cell and found the body.

Quinn: Oh…well…

Judge: Detective Quinn! The defense is right! Please offer an explanation for this.

Quinn: Like I also said before, I tend to not remember things very well. I was…kind of shocked at seeing the crime scene, and it sort of made me remember things differently. But now that I've gotten over the shock, I remember exactly what happened, and I'm more than happy to testify about it.

Judge: Then please do.

Quinn: You see. As I said before, I was doing rounds in the jail. I heard that one prisoner gasp, and checked on him. And then I heard someone scream. I ran as fast as I could down the hall, and that's when I saw the site I mentioned before.

Phoenix: (This doesn't help.)

Apollo: Your Honor. Can we cross-examine the witness now?

Judge: Oh, um, yes. You may.

Apollo: So Detective Quinn. You think Ms. Sterling is the murderer, don't you?

Quinn: The evidence does suggest that she did it, right?

Apollo: Then here's a question. Were you aware of the fact that Ms. Sterling was at the jail that day?

Quinn: Nope! I had no idea!

Apollo: How is that possible? Shouldn't you be watching and making sure you know who's coming in and out of the prison?

Quinn: Yes, I was…but…I guess I'm kind of a space case.

Apollo: (Kind of, huh?) Just out of curiosity, what exactly were you doing at the estimated time of death?

Quinn: What was I doing? Hm…I was sitting in the security booth in the prison. A few minutes later, I came out and started walking around.

Aaron: Mr. Justice. I don't really see where this questioning is going.

Phoenix: I hate to say this, Apollo, but she's right. [Phoenix looks at Apollo.] What's up?

Apollo: Mr. Wright. I can feel it.

Phoenix: Feel what? Wait! Your bracelet! Is it reacting?

Apollo: Big time. He's lying.

Phoenix: Ahem. Could you repeat that testimony you just gave?

Quinn: Huh? Why is that?

Phoenix: Er…I'm afraid Mr. Justice wasn't paying attention to it.

Judge: Mr. Justice! Please do try to pay better attention!

Apollo: Er…right. Sorry, Your Honor. [What?! Thanks a lot Mr. Wright! Way to make me look bad!]

Quinn: Well, I don't mind repeating myself. Here I go! What was I doing? Hm…I was sitting in the security booth…

Apollo: [There it is! The corner of his mouth is twitching when he said he was sitting in the security booth.] Detective Quinn. You weren't really at the security booth, were you?

Quinn: What are you talking about?

Apollo: When you made that statement just now, the corner of your mouth was twitching. You're lying to us. Now tell us! Where were you really at the time of the murder?!

Quinn:…

Aaron: Objection! Mr. Justice! Did you not see the security footage? It clearly shows the detective running to the crime scene after the victim was killed!

Thomas: Ha!

Apollo: Mr. Guasto? [What does he have to say?]

Thomas: Here's a thought. What if that security footage isn't what it seems?

Aaron: What do you mean?

Thomas: I may have been stuck in jail for the past 28 years, but I do keep up with the advances in technology. Who's to say that the detective didn't mess around with the evidence and manipulate it in such a way that makes him look completely innocent?

Judge: You can do that?

Phoenix: [Of course. That's a possibility.] Mr. Guasto. Is there a way to find out whether the footage was changed?

Thomas: Just give it to a techie and ask them. I would gladly do it for you, but I'm a criminal, so I highly doubt anyone would take my word.

Apollo: Your Honor. The defense would like to have the footage analyzed.

Judge: Hm…yes. This seems like a good idea. Bailiff. Please bring this footage to a video technician and have them check it for any changes. Until then, the court will have a twenty minute recess.

* * *

"Phoenix!"

"Iris? What is it?"

She ran up to him and Apollo. "Trucy called me. She and Juniper were at the hospital visiting Athena."

"How is Athena?"

"She's doing alright. They said she wanted to talk to you as soon as she could."

"Really? Okay. I'll call her right now."

Phoenix dialed the number. "Put it on speaker, Mr. Wright."

"Hello?"

"Trucy. Hey. Is Athena there?"

"Oh yeah! You called at the right time! Here Athena, it's Daddy."

"B…boss?"

"Athena!" He and Apollo called out.

"How are you holding up Athena?"

"Ugh. I hate sitting here in the hospital, Apollo. How's the trial going? Is he helping you out Boos?"

"Yes, he has been helping me out. He was able to figure out that Detective Quinn was lying to us in his testimony."

"Did he now? Oh boy. Then you better make sure you keep his feet on the ground; otherwise, he'll be floating."

"Hey!"

"Come on you two. Now's not the time to be fighting. Anyway, what was it you wanted to tell us Athena?"

Athena became serious. "Mr. Wright. Before I got knocked out, I found a very interesting piece of evidence."

"Let me take a guess and say it was security footage?"

"That's right! How did you know Apollo?"

"Because we saw the footage today. It showed Serena going into the cell, followed by a man screaming."

"Objection!"

"Thena! You shouldn't yell like that! You'll give yourself a headache!" They could hear Juniper scold Athena in the background, followed by Trucy.

"Yeah Athena! Save it for when you get back into the courtroom!"

"Good point. But anyway. That's not what I saw!"

"That's not surprising. Mr. Guasto just pointed out that someone could've altered the footage, so we're on recess right now while the footage gets analyzed," Phoenix explained.

"Whoever attacked you must've not wanted that evidence to come out into the open," Apollo said. "But what did you see, Athena?"

"What I saw was…"

* * *

Judge: Alright then. Prosecutor Aaron. You have the results, yes?

Aaron: Yes I do. According to this report, the footage was altered.

Phoenix: [Yes. This is it!]

Judge: Were they able to recover the original footage?

Aaron: Yes they were.

Judge: Let's play it and see what it shows.

The tape was replayed, and this time, the court saw Detective Quinn walking slowly through the hall, holding a hand in his pocket, and slipping into the cell. Not too long after, the scream was heard. He quickly slipped out of the cell and walked away. Thomas was seen entering the cell. After a few minutes, Serena was seen entering the cell, and soon after, Detective Quinn came running down the hall and into the cell.

Judge: …

Aaron:…

Apollo:…

Phoenix:…

Judge: Well Detective Quinn. What do you have to say?

Quinn: He...heh…heh heh…HA HA HA!

Apollo: [Wonderful. A witness breakdown. As if I hadn't seen enough of these.]

Quinn: Okay, okay. You caught me. I killed the Phantom. It was me.

Aaron: How were you able to touch the murder weapon without getting fingerprints on it?

Quinn: It's called wearing disposable gloves! Ha! Ha ha!

Apollo: And you altered the footage, didn't you?

Quinn: Yup! Although, I guess I have to thank that nosy defense attorney. If she wasn't snooping around in the evidence room and found that CD, I would've actually forgotten it was there!

Apollo: So you were the one who attacked Athena!

Quinn: Ha! She didn't see it coming!

Apollo: [Oh boy. If Athena was here, this guy would surely be served a knuckle sandwich from her.]

Phoenix: But…but why? What was your motive?

Quinn: Ah yes. My motive. I've got to admit that I didn't know the Phantom personally, so I had no personal grudge against the guy. Actually, I have to say he was quite admirable, given how he was able to get away with so much without getting caught.

Apollo: Wait. So then what was your motive? Why kill him? Was it a random attack?

Quinn: Random? No way! I was commissioned, if you will.

Judge: Commissioned? Meaning…

Phoenix: Meaning that someone hired him to do this.

Judge: Who hired you?

Quinn:…A Bandit?

Phoenix: A Bandit? (Not them…)

Quinn: She's right here in this room. Acting all innocent like she doesn't know a thing.

Thomas stood up. "If you're even thinking about pointing your finger at Serena, then you better shut your trap right now!"

"Thomas! Sit down!" Serena yelled, and he surprisingly obeyed.

Quinn: Ha! Hold your horses buddy. She's not it.

Phoenix: Then who is?

Everyone watch as the detective pointed the prosecution's desk. "Her."

Phoenix: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!

Apollo: NO WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Judge: Detective Quinn! You've just made a very serious accusation right here! Are you claiming that Prosecutor Aaron was the one who told you to kill the Phantom?!

Quinn: That's exactly what I'm claiming!

Judge: And might I ask if you have some proof?

Quinn: As a matter of fact, I do. [Pulls out a piece of paper.] Here's the request she made to me. Handwrote it and everything. She even signed it.

He handed the paper to the Judge.

Judge: …! Prosecutor Aaron. What is the meaning of this?

Aaron: I thought I told you to burn that thing.

Quinn: I guess I forgot. Oops. My bad. If I'm going down, then you're going to come down with me!

Judge: Wait. So…you're not going to deny it?

Aaron: What point is there in denying it? You've got proof, don't you?

Phoenix: But…but why?

Prosecutor Aaron smiled evilly. "I guess I didn't properly introduce myself to any of you. My name is Vicalyn 'Vicki' Aaron, proud daughter of Tavion and Devilina Bandit and heiress to the Bandit fortune!"

Phoenix: What?! You're…a Bandit?! (Oh boy. I can imagine Edgeworth's top has blown off.)

Aaron: Yes, I am. Can't believe it, can you? How could a Bandit child like me have seemed to sweet and innocent? And how could I have possibly become a prosecutor, of all things?! I made you all think that I was after the truth, that I was a good person. Did any of you even know that I was the one who forced Mr. Irving to confess?! That's right! It was a false confession! He didn't murder Mr. Sharpe! But I still got him convicted! What does that show?! I fooled all of you! Even the genius Chief Prosecutor himself trusted me! Ha! You idiots!

_Yup. Edgeworth's top must have blown off for sure._

"But…why? Why would you do something like this?"

Vicki sneered at Serena. "You…Don't even start with me! Our family gave you everything, and now you're trying to get us arrested. You ungrateful little brat!"

"'Your family gave her everything?!' You guys treated her like she was a slave! How dare you say you gave her everything?! You ruined her life!"

"Ha! What a joke! Why would I care for what a petty criminal like you has to say to me? Besides…" She flipped her hair. "At least my family had the heart to spend some money on her. Unlike her own parents. Who would've thought she'd be so worthless to them?"

"Shut up! Shut up right now, unless you want me to come over there and make you…"

"Thomas. That's enough."

He turned to Serena. "What are you talking about?! Do you hear what she just said? Lying like that, she needs to be punished!"

"But she isn't lying, is she?"

Thomas gave her a weary glance. "W…what do you mean?"

"I know, Thomas."

"What do you know?"

"I know…about Mom and Dad…what they did…and why…"

The prisoner's eyes widened. "N…no way. Did someone tell you?!"

_Yikes! He's glaring right at me! _

"No…no one told me."

"Then how…"

"I'm not as gullible as I may seem Thomas. I found out a long time ago."

"I…"

"I'm not a kid anymore, you know. I'm mature enough to handle to truth." She sighed. "Any anyway, that's all in the past, isn't it? That has nothing to do with what's going on right now." She looked up. "Your Honor. I hate to seem like I'm leading the court, but…I think we have a trial to get back to, right?"

Judge: O…oh! That's right! I completely forgot! Ahem. I see no reason to further prolong this trial. Detective Quinn, you're hereby under arrest for the murder of the Phantom, and Ms. Aaron, you are hereby under arrest for being an accomplice to the murder.

Phoenix: (Finally. I can't believe how things turned out…)

Judge: Although you weren't the main suspect, Mr. Guasto, I must give verdict, since you were a suspect in the murder nonetheless. For the murder of the Phantom, the court finds you not guilty. Now, Dr. Sterling. If you would take the stand. [She goes to the stand.] Dr. Sterling. For the murder of the Phantom, the court finds you not guilty.

Serena: Um…Your Honor. I think you're forgetting something.

Judge: I…I am? What's that?

Serena: You're supposed to find me guilty.

Judge: But you weren't the murderer!

Serena: That's true, but…I lied while on the witness stand under oath. That's perjury right? So…I'm supposed to get punished for that.

Judge: Ah yes, there is that. You see Dr. Sterling, perjury is wrong, and I'm glad to see that you understand how serious that is….However, I've come to see the reason why you lied to this court. It was to save your brother from getting convicted once more. It's quite obvious how much you care for him.

Thomas: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever. Get on with it!

Judge: Yes! So you've been forgiven, Dr. Sterling. The court is now adjourned.

* * *

"Wow Mr. Wright. That was a pretty quick wrap up for that trial, wasn't it?"

"It sure was, Apollo." The two of them saw Serena come over towards them.

"Mr. Wright, Apollo. I just wanted to thank the two of you for helping me out of this mess, and…more so, I want to thank you for not giving up on Thomas. That…that means a lot to me."

"No problem Serena. We're glad that you two were found not guilty," Phoenix said.

"I have to thank Athena too. How is she doing?"

"Who Athena? She's going to be fine! She's not going to let one little attack bring her down, but I'll let her know you said thanks," Apollo said.

She smiled at them.

"Hey."

The three of them turned around. "Mr. Guasto. What are you doing here?'

"I…I came here to…to say thanks, to you...Mr. Wright and you, Mr. Justice."

"Er…no problem. Glad to know we could help," Phoenix replied.

Serena stepped forward and looked at Thomas, who looked back at her. "So…I guess you won't be spending time in the slammer, huh?"

She smiled a little and shook her head. "No, I'm not." Her smile faded as they both stared at each other.

_It looks like she has a lot to say to him. _

Thomas looked away. "Well, I should get going." He motioned for the police officers to escort him away.

The two lawyers noticed how Serena stood in her place, watching as he was taken away. "I need to go too."

"You do?" Apollo asked.

"Yeah. I've got to go and explain what happened at the hospital and possibly get back to working again. Thanks again you two. I don't know how to repay you."

"Don't. It's fine. Your thanks is more than enough."

She waved at them and left. A few minutes later, Iris came up to them. "Phoenix! You did such a great job! You too Apollo!"

"Gee, thanks Iris!" Phoenix then looked around. "I wonder where Edgeworth is."

Iris frowned. "Mr. Edgeworth was very upset."

"Oh? Did you see him?"

"He was in the gallery, not too far from where I was sitting. I could see how mad he was when that prosecutor confessed. He immediately left before the verdicts were given."

_I could imagine he's pretty upset. And speak of the devil…_ Phoenix saw Edgeworth make his way over to them. The prosecutor's brows were very furrowed, and there was a deep frown on his face.

"What's going on Edgeworth?"

"The police have questioned Mrs. Aaron about the Bandits. And while she hasn't been saying much, they did find in her possession information about the murders of Mario Myron, Razi R. Sharpe, Neville Manco , Darnell Hawthorne."

"Wait…Did…did you just say…Darnell…Hawthorne?"

The prosecutor gazed at Iris. "Yes, that's correct."

_Oh no! Does Iris…does she not know…_

Edgeworth's eyes widened a little. "Miss Fey…that man…was he…"

"He…he was my father."

Edgeworth took off his glasses. "You have my condolences, Miss Fey."

Phoenix saw tears running down Iris's face as well her figure shaking a little. "Oh Iris! I'm sorry!" He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry. He rubbed her back gently and kissed the top of her. He placed his cheek on her head. "Sh, sh, sh. It's okay. Everything's going to be alright. I promise." He rocked her gently.

Edgeworth watched silently as Phoenix consoled Iris. _I shouldn't have mentioned that in front of her. Ugh. How could I continue to be so stupid and careless?! _He motioned for Apollo to come towards him as he moved away from Phoenix and Iris.

"Mr. Justice. Would you happen to know where Ms. Sterling went?"

"Oh her? She said she was going back to the hospital."

"I see. Well, congratulations on your victory. How is Ms. Cykes doing?"

"Athena's doing better."

"That's good to hear. Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to the office and take care of this…mess."

**So you guys were right! It was Ms. Pumpkin Prosecutor all along! This story is surprisingly getting closer and closer to being finished! Never did I think it would've gone this far, but it has! Next chapter's going to be all about the couples, just so you know! Feel free to leave a review or private message me. Thanks!**


	31. Ch 30: Turnabout Reconciliation

**This isn't too long of a chapter. It's more about the two couples, Feenris and Cykesquill. Enjoy! (And thanks for reviewing! You guys are awesome!)**

**__****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!**

Chapter 30 – Turnabout Reconciliation

Phoenix got back to the office, only to find that Iris was there. "When did you get back, Iris?"

She looked up at him. "I came right back here after we left the courthouse. How is Athena doing?"

"She's finally awake, thank goodness, and she seems to remember everything pretty well. We were kind of worried that she might have gotten amnesia given how hard she was hit, but she's fine."

"That's good to hear." Iris looked at the door, then back at Phoenix. "Where's Trucy?"

"She's still at the hospital. Apollo said he'll bring her back. She said she wanted to stay a little longer there." Iris nodded. She was sitting on one of the red couches. "Um…would it be alright if I sat with you?"

"Oh, sure." Phoenix sat down next to her, but made sure there was a bit of distant between them.

They both sat in the room silently. "Are you feeling alright now? Are you okay?" _She was pretty upset at the courthouse._ He noted how her eyes were still a little red.

"I…I was just surprised." She looked down at her lap. "I didn't know my father all that well, and we were never close…not as close as I was with Dahlia. I was just sad to hear that…someone had murdered him. If nothing else, he was my father."

"I can understand that."

_Only Iris would cry about that man. She doesn't need to feel sad. He abandoned her. If anything, she should feel bitter. Ironically, Dahlia ended up being the one who felt bitter towards the man. Oh well. I guess that's all done and over with now. _

They sat there in silence for a few minutes. "Um…Iris?"

"Yes, Phoenix?" Her eyes went up to him.

"I…er…I just wanted to say…" He sighed. "I've been thinking about this ever since we talked about your…feelings towards me. And…I think it would be unfair to you if I was to just automatically get back into a relationship with you, and pick up from where we left off all those years ago." He placed his elbows on his legs and clasped his hands. "After all, for those eight months that we dated, I thought you were…well, I thought you were 'Dollie.'"

Iris nodded her head, listening to him closely.

"That being said…" He turned to face her, reached over and held her hand. "At the courthouse today…when I held you…I realized that I do care very much for you. I know that I probably made you think that I was over you, that I had moved on, but…I never really was able to move on. Not to mention, soon after you came back into my life for the second time, you left, and then Trucy entered my life, and I didn't have time to really move on."

_I need to just get to the point and stop dragging along. _

"So what I'm trying to say…is that I want to spend more time with you, get to know you, Iris. The real you."

"Wait…you mean…you want to…" She couldn't even get herself to say it, she was astonished.

He nodded. "Yes. Iris Fey, will you go out with me?"

"I…I…"

Phoenix frowned and pulled away. "Sorry. I guess I'm taking things way too fast, aren't I?"

"No! That's not what I meant! I'd…I'd love to go out with you…Feenie!"

Phoenix looked straight into her eyes, a smile on his face. "Iris."

They hugged each other tightly and separated. Phoenix moved a strand of her hair from her face and then leaned close to her, his lips brushing against hers, a warm, familiar feeling spreading through him. _ I guess some things never change, do they?_

He pulled away and placed his forehead on hers. "So…when should we go on our first date?"

"Mm…I don't know."

"Then I guess I'll have to surprise you, won't I?"

She giggled. "I love your surprises."

"I know." He stood up. "Now come on. I'll walk you back home." He took her hand in his and helped her off the couch. They walked out of the office, still holding hands.

* * *

"Ha ha ha! That was a wonderful performance Mr. Hat!" Athena clapped her hands.

"Thank you. Thank you very much! You're too kind! I'll be here all week!" Trucy put away Mr. Hat. "Heh, heh, heh! You're so great Athena! Whenever I pull out Mr. Hat, Polly just says something sarcastic."

"That's Apollo for you. Sarcasm and ego are what keeps him going."

"Don't forget his chords of steel!" Trucy added.

"That's right! I almost forgot!"

"Come on you two! Stop badmouthing my boyfriend!'

"Oh, sorry Junie!" Athena then snickered. "So you're calling him your boyfriend, huh? You sneaky girl!"

Juniper just blushed. Trucy looked around. "Where is Polly anyway?"

"He said he was going out to get us some real food to eat, versus the food they have here at the hospital cafeteria."

The three girls continued talking until there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Athena called out.

"Athena?"

"Serena!"

"Can I come in?"

"Of course! Please do!"

The doctor walked into the room. "Hello Ms. Woods, Trucy." She looked over Athena. "How are you doing, Athena?"

"I'm doing fine Serena. I'm glad to hear that you got a not guilty verdict."

"That's actually why I came here. I thought it would only be right if I thanked you in person. If you and Mr. Wright and Apollo hadn't helped me out, I'd probably be in jail right now."

Athena held up a peace sign. "No problemo, Serena! I'm glad I was able to help, although I really wish I could've been at the trial today. I would've loved to see that Pumpkin Prosecutor's face when she was convicted." Athena noticed the room went silent.

_Did I say something? Oh wait! _

"Who's the Pumpkin Prosecutor, Athena?" Trucy asked curiously.

"Oh, er…"

Serena smiled. "I think I know who you're talking about, Athena. Not a bad name, I have to say." Athena smiled weakly. "Well, I need to get going, but I hope you do get better soon Athena, and make sure to listen to your doctor's orders, okay?"

"Of course Serena! See you!"

Serena went to open the door when someone opened it. "Oh excuse me!" She shrieked. "Oh, um, I was just leaving. Goodbye!" She rushed out of the room.

_I wonder who freaked her out like that._

A familiar mop of black hair peeked into the room. "I…oh. You're busy. I'll go."

"No wait!" The door shut. Athena sighed. _I guess I can see why she would be freaked out by him. He…does have that effect on people._ "I can't believe he's here."

"Who? Prosecutor Blackquill?" Athena nodded, and Trucy gasped. "Athena! He's been here ever since you were brought into the hospital!"

"Wh…what?"

Juniper continued. "Yeah. He got here shortly all of us got here, and he's stayed by your side since then."

"But…he wasn't here when I woke up." Athena couldn't believe what she was hearing. _He…he's been here all along?_

"He had to leave because the doctors were checking up on you," Juniper explained.

"But…what about the trial? Why did he step down?" _Simon would never do that unless it was a real emergency. What could've happened?_

"Thena, he stepped down from the trial because he didn't want to leave you here alone."

"N…no way. That's…impossible."

Juniper shook her head. "But it is. Here, how about Trucy and I call him in?"

Before Athena could stop them, the two girls exited the room.

"Alright Prosecutor Blackquill! She's all yours!" Athena heard Trucy call out as Simon was pushed through the door. It was shut behind him.

_His cheeks are kind of red. _"Simon."

"Cykes-dono."

"So…the trial went real well, didn't it?"

He looked up at her. "What do you mean?"

She smirked. "You were in court today, weren't you?"

He looked down. "Well, you see…I…"

"You stepped down, right?" She noticed him fidgeting a little. "I know everything Simon."

"You do?"

"Yeah…I do."

The silence was annoying, at least for Athena it was. "Simon." She motioned to the chair near her bed. "You don't need to stand there. Sit down, relax."

He hesitantly made his way over and sat down. "How…how are you feeling?"

"Who me? I've never been better!"

"Hmph. Says the girl who got hit in the head. That detective…" He growled.

"That guy is so lucky that you weren't at that trial, otherwise…I don't even want to think of what would've happened in that situation." Athena was quiet for a moment before she continued. "So Vicki ended up being a Bandit. Who would've thought?"

"Hmph. I can't believe I was hoodwinked by her, although I'm sure no one feels as bad as Chief Prosecutor does."

"Oh that's right. Poor Mr. Edgeworth. I can imagine him beating himself over this. I hope he's okay." She gazed at Simon, who had his head down. "You…you were here with me, weren't you?"

"What are you talking about?" He asked defensively.

"Don't even try to argue with me. Trucy and Junie told me about how you came here right after they did and stayed with me until I woke up." She smiled softly. "That means a lot to me."

"I…that is…I wasn't doing it because…"

Athena immediately frowned. "Of course. I can't believe I would forget it. You were probably just doing it because it's your 'honor-bound duty.'" She sighed. "Silly me."

She was surprised when he moved up a little closer. "That's…that's not entirely true."

She looked up at him. "Whoa. What did you just say?!"

"I…I wasn't here because it was my duty to be here. Not exactly."

_He's struggling with his emotions. I can tell. _"Simon. If there's something you have to say to me, then just say it."

He shook his head. "No…I can't…I can't love you."

_Love me?! Wh…where did that come from?! And why not?! _"Why?! Why can't you?" He refused to look at her. "Simon! Tell me! Now! I need to know!" She yelled desperately.

He lifted his head, his eyes fierce. "Because I'm the reason your mother is dead, Athena! If I hadn't asked your mother to do a psyche-profile on the Phantom, if I didn't get her involved, he would've never come to the Space Center and killed her." He turned away. "You wouldn't have been bereft of your mother! And you wouldn't have had to have lived with all of the pain and anguish that you did…"

Athena stared at him. "I…" _So…he's been feeling guilty. That's why he's been distancing himself from me…_ "You…you feel guilty about what happened to Mom? That's why you don't want to..." She shook her head. "Simon. My mom's death was never your fault, okay? I never saw it that way, and you shouldn't either. It just so happens that…things happened in a way that she ended up getting killed. But don't you even dare think that it was your fault, because it's not." She saw him nod. "So…you never admit you liked me…because you felt guilty?"

"Yes…" He sighed heavily. "I…care about you. I really do. I know I don't show it often, if at all, and I know you think I'm protecting you because I consider it to be my honor-bound duty to your mother, my sensei, my mentor and back then, when you were younger, that was precisely the case. But fact of the matter is…now…after spending so much time with you, seeing how much you've grown and what a wonderful person you are, I feel that I must protect you for the sake of protecting you. Because…like you were your mother's most beloved treasure…you're mine." He faced Athena and came up close to her, taking her hands in his. "You're my most beloved treasure, Athena."

"Simon…" Athena stared into his eyes. _I…I can hear it…I can finally hear it…_ Her eyes shut closed as his face came closer to hers. She was smiling when his lips touched hers gently. _He loves me. He really, truly loves me._

* * *

"Hmph. What? Have nothing to say to me?" Edgeworth looked up at Franziska, who was standing in his office. "You were right, Franziska. I shouldn't have put so much faith in that woman as I did. I was wrong. I admit defeat." Franziska was still silent. "Well? Out with it. I know you don't have time to waste."

"What's this I heard about the PIC?"

"Them? Hmph. They managed to avoid any suspicion and criticism. They're saying that they knew that Mrs. Aaron was a part of the Bandit family, and that they purposely hired her in order to track her movements and ultimately catch her when the time was right."

Franziska nodded. "In other words, they're not to blame, and neither are you."

"I suppose that is what it means." _But I know I am to blame. I cannot deny that. I never suspected her of being a part of the Bandit family. _

"And what of the doctor? Has she agreed to speak about the family?"

"I'm afraid not. She's inclined on not speaking at all."

"Fool," Franziska muttered. "Well, I should be leaving now."

_Thank goodness. I was sure she was going to start whipping me and telling me how wrong I was. _

SNAP!

"Grnk…"

"Miles Edgeworth! You must watch who you trust and distrust! Had that foolish detective not revealed that that fake prosecutor was part of the Bandit family, she would've gotten away with much more. You should be ashamed!"

_It was nice while it lasted._

"That is all I have to say. Good day, Miles Edgeworth." She curtseyed and walked out of the office.

_As if I really needed you to tell me, Franziska, but she is right. I need to be more careful. I just assumed the PIC would have done a thorough enough background check that they would spot something like this. I suppose this means I'll need to do my own background checks before I allow another prosecutor to be hired. _ He sighed heavily and held his head in his hands.

**Oh my gosh! This story is actually going to almost be over! I tried to include as much Feenris in this chapter as I could, but I'm not so sure it was as successful an attempt as I had hoped for it to be… Anyway, there are probably going to be two chapters left: a wrap-up chapter, and then an epilogue (I think…). Feel free to leave a review or private message me. Thanks!**


	32. Ch 31: Turnabout Tears

**So this chapter moves a lot in time, and it's longer than the last one. It focuses on the OC. No couples in this one, sorry! (They'll be back in the next chapter for sure!) This chapter is partially wrapping up the whole case with the Bandits…just so you know. **

**__****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!**

Chapter 31 – Turnabout Tears

**Time: It's been two weeks since the trial ended. **

Edgeworth was working diligently in his office when someone barged in. "Mr. Edgeworth!"

"Detective Gumshoe. Would you mind knocking on my door before you come in like that?" The prosecutor was clearly annoyed.

"Sorry sir! But I have some good news for you!"

"Good news, hm?" _And what might this good news be? _

"You bet pal! Dr. Sterling came to the precinct today, and she said she's willing to provide testimony about the Bandits."

"Oh, did she?" _I suppose that is good news. What made her change her mind? _

Gumshoe nodded. "Yeah, but she did request that she not have to speak on the witness stand, so we're having her testimony recorded."

"I see…well Detective Gumshoe. That is good news indeed. Thank you for letting me know."

"No problem, sir!"

Edgeworth let out a sigh once the detective left the office.

_This is working out rather well. With her testimony, we'll probably be able to get them arrested once and for all._

* * *

One week later…

Edgeworth sat in the gallery as the trial for the Bandit family was being conducted. _Franziska seems to be quite pleased to be able to convict them. She's trying her best to fight off a grin, I can tell. _

The courtroom had gone completely silent when Serena's testimony was shown. She explained everything, starting with how she did grow up with the Bandits, although she didn't go into much detail about it. She then explained how she had spoken to one of the detectives at the precinct quite a while back about the Bandits, only to have her brother nearly killed. Finally, she mentioned how in the past two months, the Bandits had been contacting her.

"They thought I was plotting to bring them down and expose them to the police, especially because I had become friends with some lawyers. And they were sure I was trying to disrupt their plans, although I don't really know what their plans were exactly."

Before her testimony ended, she was asked by Detective Gumshoe, who had done the questioning, why she didn't speak up before about the Bandits. "I was scared. After what happened with my brother, I feared for his life. He was planning on somehow exposing them once he got out of jail, but…I was very hesitant to do so. I knew if I testified like this…his life would be in danger."

With that, the court found the Bandits guilty. Serena had given the police information on their whereabouts, and they had been arrested.

* * *

In the court lobby, there were many people there, congratulating Franziska on her victory. They did the same to Edgeworth, who dismissed their praise.

He stood to the side of the room when he noticed someone had gone up to Franziska and spoke to her. _I didn't know she was here. Did she come to watch the trial? _

He saw that the woman was about to leave. "Hold it!"

Serena turned around, her head tilted to the side. "Oh. Mr. Edgeworth. Is there something you needed?"

He walked up to her. "Ms. Sterling. Thank you…for testifying."

She shrugged her shoulders. "You shouldn't thank me for it, really. I don't deserve it."

Edgeworth didn't understand why she said that, but he didn't pry into the matter. "I…I also… wanted to personally apologize to you, Ms. Sterling."

She looked thoroughly confused. "What for?"

He pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I misinterpreted the evidence I received, and I trusted someone I should've doubted, while at the same time doubted who I should have trusted." His brows furrowed as he looked directly at her. "I treated you like a criminal, when in fact, you were the victim. I sincerely apologize for my actions and behavior towards you."

Her eyebrows went up. "I…um…thank you…but…you don't need to apologize, Mr. Edgeworth." She held her arm and turned away, grimacing. "I acted like a criminal, and I tried to hide the truth from everyone. So if anyone should be apologizing, it's me. I'm really sorry. I…can only hope you'll one day be able to completely forgive me for what I've done, and for the trouble I caused you. All of you."

He shook his head. "Though there is no need for you to be sorry, please do know that your apology is gratefully accepted, and you are forgiven." She nodded her head. "And please do convey my apologies and thanks to your brother. Without him, this case never would've wrapped up as well as it did."

"I…I will. He'll…be glad to hear it. I…I have to go now. Take care."

* * *

A couple of days later, at the precinct…

"Mr. Edgeworth!"

"Detective Gumshoe. Is there something you need?"

The detective rushed up to Edgeworth. "Yes sir! I had a question. Do you happen to know where Dr. Sterling lives?"

"Er…I do have an idea of where she lives, yes. Why do you ask?"

The detective smiled. "Then you can give this to her!" Gumshoe pushed an envelope into Edgeworth's hands.

The prosecutor looked down at the item, then back up at Gumshoe. "What's this?"

"This is from Thomas Guasto…er, Sterling's cell. I've been meaning to get this to her."

"From his cell? Is he moving or something?"

Gumshoe frowned a little. "Guess the news really didn't get to many people did it? It was sort of kept hush hush."

Edgeworth narrowed his eyes a little. "What do you mean?"

"Thomas Sterling. He died two weeks ago in the hospital."

"What?!" _He…he died?! _

Gumshoe nodded. "Apparently he had some kind of terminal illness, so his days were sadly numbered."

"And Ms. Sterling…does she know?"

"She found out about his condition when he got admitted to the hospital a couple of days before he died, and…she was there when he…" Gumshoe stopped.

"I…I see."

"You wouldn't mind getting that to her, would you Mr. Edgeworth? I've been pretty here…"

"No, it's fine. I'll…I'll take care of this."

"Thanks Mr. Edgeworth! You're a pal."

* * *

_Apartment 705. If memory serves, this should be the right place. _Edgeworth had first gone to the clinic where he had been informed that Serena was not there. He knocked on the door. With no response, he knocked again. _She must not be here. Oh well…I suppose I'll have to find her some other time. _

It was then that he noticed an elderly woman peek out of the door next to the one he was standing in front of. "I'm sorry, but are you here to see Serena?" The woman asked.

"Er…yes, I am. Would you happen to know where she is?"

"She's up on the 9th floor, in apartment number 901. Oh!" The woman smiled. "You could go up there and visit her!"

_Oh, but… _"Um, Ma'am. She…won't she mind if I go up there?"

"Serena? No! I'm sure she'd like the company. And…if you wouldn't mind, when you go up there, could you tell her that the prescription she wrote for me worked just fine?"

"I…of course."

"Why thank you! What kind young man you are!"

Edgeworth just nodded his head. "I should get going. Thank you." He went up the two flights of stairs and finally got to apartment 901.

He knocked on the door, but no one seemed to be there. His hand went to the knob and found the door was unlocked. _I really shouldn't do this, but…_ He went along with it, opening the door and stepping in. "Ahem. Ms. Sterling? Ms. Sterling? Are you…" He walked through the small hallway and into the living room, where he saw her sitting on a gray couch, staring intently at the TV across from her.

_What is she watching? It doesn't look to be something on TV….maybe a video?_

As if sensing his presence, she turned around. "Oh! Mr. Edgeworth!" She stood up. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I'm sorry to barge in like this. I have something for you from the precinct." He handed her the envelope which Detective Gumshoe had given to him.

"Oh? Thank you." She set the item down on the table. "How about you sit down, and I'll make a cup of tea?"

"Oh…I…that would be nice, thank you."

Edgeworth sat down on the couch, his eyes searching the room. _This can't be her apartment. It must be her brother's. _The place was pretty well-furnished and decorated. There were sports trophies on the wall, and a high school diploma framed on the wall as eyes then landed on the TV screen, which displayed a little girl on it.

"Hey, munchkin! Look over here at me!" A voice called out.

The little girl, who was sitting across from the camera on the picnic table, looked up with angry eyes. "Are you videotaping me?"

"Yes, I am. Why?"

The girl pouted. "I don't like being videotaped! And my name isn't munchkin, you know."

"Yeah, but you're about the size of a munchkin."

"No…Munchkins are this big." She made a little round o with her thumb and pointer finger touching. "I'm much bigger than them."

"Well, Miss Know-It-All! Compared to how big I am, you're certainly a munchkin."

The little girl sighed and continued coloring.

The camera went up closer to the girl. "What are you drawing there?"

"I'm drawing a heart. I saw it in a book when we went to the hospital."

"Oh really? Hey, let me see!"

"No. It isn't very good."

"Come on. Let me see it! I'm sure it's great!"

The little girl reluctantly presented the picture. "Whoa…um…that isn't…well…"

"What do you mean it isn't? It's a heart! Can't you see? Or is it bad?"

"Oh no, no, no. It isn't bad. I…just thought by heart, you meant the kind of hearts that you see during Valentine's Day."

"You know. Even though they're called hearts, those aren't what hearts look like. They look sort of like this." She pointed to the picture. The little girl perked up. "Oh! Oh! And did you know that your heart is about the size of your fist?!"

"Yes, I did happen to know that."

"So my heart is this big!" She held up a fist.

"My heart's bigger."

"Because you're older!"

The voice behind the camera chuckled. "You're one smart kid, you know that?"

"I'm not smart. I'm just observant."

_This little girl... Could she possibly be…?_

"Here's the tea." Serena entered the living room, holding two cups in her hand.

"Thank you, Ms. Sterling."

"You're welcome. Oh, and your neighbor wanted me to tell you that the prescription you gave her worked."

She thought for a moment. "Oh it did? That's good to hear."

They sat down and quietly sipped on their tea. Edgeworth had finished first. Setting his cup down, he spoke. "Ms. Sterling. I…wanted to say…that I heard about your brother, and I'm very sorry."

She set her cup down and sighed. "It's okay, Mr. Edgeworth. He…he's in a better place now. It's just sad that it happened sooner than later. He could've died a free man."

"What do you mean?"

"My brother's sentence…it would've ended last week. He would've been released from jail at this time."

"Oh." _There isn't much else I can say to that, can I, other than the unfortunate timing. _

Her eyes went back to look at the TV screen. It was of a different scene. The little girl that was sitting at the picnic table was now sleeping on a picnic blanket on the grass.

"You know, kiddo? Seeing you like this now, people wouldn't know what a ball of energy you really are."

The scene changed again, and this time, a young adult with sandy blonde hair was in the picture. He was sitting down on the ground, while a little girl was running in and out of the frame.

"Come on Thomas! Let's play!"

"We've been playing for an hour now! I need a break!" His head was following her back and forth.

"You need to be more active like me!"

"You're not active. You're hyperactive!"

"If you keep sitting around, then you're going to become obese!"

"Me? Obese? Do you even know what that word means?"

"Of course I do! Obese means to be overweight, or really fat! It's not good for your body to be obese!"

"Okay, okay. I'll play with you. Can I just sit down for a few minutes?"

"Okay. You can sit for two minutes."

Thomas sighed. "Fine, fine. My, you're very bossy."

The little girl grinned. She plopped down next to him. She grabbed his arm, which had a watch on it. She sat silently, watching it for two minutes. "Okay! Two minutes are up! Time to play!" She jumped up on her feet and began running around again.

"Man. You are too active. I can't possibly keep up with you." He stood up, but smiled at the little girl. When she came close to him, he suddenly scooped her up into his arms.

"Ah! Let me go!"

"Not a chance! You're too fast for me to catch!" He spun her around, and the little girl giggled delightfully. They fell to the ground, the child on Thomas's chest.

"I love you Thomas."

"I love you too, kiddo."

"I…I don't remember any of this. It's…almost like…none of this ever happened."

"That young girl. Is that…"

"Yes. That's me, and that's my brother. This was before…everything happened." She turned off the video. She looked around the apartment. "This place used to be his. The landlord was kind of enough to allow him to keep it, so that he'd have a place to go when he got out of jail."

Edgeworth sat there quietly. _I should really get going, but somehow, I shouldn't leave just yet. That would be rude. _He looked next to him at the doctor. She was wearing a t-shirt and jeans. It was weird seeing her out of her usual attire of scrubs or a white coat.

"I went to the clinic to find you, and heard that you took off from work."

"Oh that. I…guess I could say that I took off from work, but then, I would be lying."

"I don't think I follow."

"Some of the doctors at the hospital…they know about my brother, and…they were a bit…skeptical, of me working even after his death, so…I was summoned in front of the board, and they told me I needed to take at least two months off, if not more." She laughed a little. "They even said they'd pay me. I didn't really have much of a choice but to accept their offer, although I told them I didn't want to get paid if I wasn't going to be working."

"So…you won't be working for the next two months?"

"No. I can't, even if I wanted to. Although I did mention that if they needed a replacement or someone to come in at the last minute, they could call me, but they said they'd avoid such a situation at all costs. So I'm pretty much stuck at home for two months with a lot of free time."

"That sounds nice. You'd be able to relax." _Although I myself wouldn't find such a situation very appealing…_

"Yeah, I suppose that is true, but…I'd much rather be working in the ER. But then again, I understand where the board is coming from. They're worried that if it was found out what happened to my brother, the public is going to be upset by the fact that I would still be working even after my brother died, when I should be mourning his death."

_Hmph. They shouldn't care about what the public says. It's quite obvious that working would be the perfect way for her to get over her brother's death. Staying at home would probably only cause her more grief. _

"I…actually had a question for you, Ms. Sterling. If you don't mind my asking. What exactly compelled you to come forth and testify against the Bandits?"

She sighed once more. "This is going to sound awful…but there was only one reason why I testified about them." She turned her head away. "Thomas…he made me promise that once he…that I would speak up and tell everyone the truth. I…just fulfilled his promise is all."

"I…see."

_Hm…somehow, I think that even if he didn't make her promise, she would've testified eventually at her own will. _

Her eyes landed on the item he brought her. "I should probably open this." She picked up the envelope and carefully opened it. "Hm…it's a letter." She read through it.

_Why am I still here? I really should go and leave her be. _But Edgeworth found himself watching her closely. Curiosity got the better of him.

Her hands were gripping tightly at the letter. He heard her take a shaky breath in. "Thomas. You actually wrote this letter. I didn't think you had this much to say to me." She set the letter and the envelope aside, when something fell out of the envelope. She picked it up. "Hm…To Serena Sterling. This was found in his cell, under his pillow, with the letter included." She flipped the picture over and gasped. She stared long and hard at the picture.

Edgeworth didn't mean to peek, but over her shoulder he saw that the picture was of a small infant wrapped in pink, and a young teenager, smiling at the little child. _That must be her and her brother. Wait. What's that…droplet? There's another one. Oh no. _His eyes went up to Serena, who was visibly trembling.

"M…Ms. Sterling?"

"I…I can't believe he…kept this in his jail cell." Her voice was wavering. "I…always thought he hated me. That he couldn't stand me for what I'd done. For betraying him."

Edgeworth felt the need to explain what Thomas had told him and Phoenix. "Ms. Sterling. Your brother. He cared for you very much. He…told us how he wished you hadn't suffered so. He felt personally responsible for your misery."

She shook her head. "It was never his fault. But…I…didn't know…he cared so much about me. I didn't realize that despite pushing me away all this time, he really did love me." Her voice cracked. "And…now he's gone. He was the last living member of my family. My real family. Now, it's just me." Her shoulders shook as she cried silently.

_Ms. Sterling…she's been bottling up all of her emotions, it seems, but she's finally reached her breaking point. _

Edgeworth felt a little awkward in the situation. He had never witnessed someone like Serena crying, save for Franziska. With Franziska, however, it was different. He knew her well enough. _I should try to offer some kind of comfort; otherwise, what kind of gentleman am I? But…what do I do? What did Wright do when Miss Fey was crying? _

He reached a hand out to her, but pulled it back, then reached out. _Make up your mind, Miles! _His hand touched her back and patted it gently. "Ms. Sterling. It's okay. Let it all out."

_Hm…this doesn't seem to be helping all that much. What else could I do? _All of a sudden, on an impulse, he sat closer to her and wrapped an arm around her. _What am I doing?! I shouldn't be touching her like this! What would she think of me? _

She went rigid for a moment when his arm touched her. _What's gotten into me? I should've known this whole comforting someone wasn't my strong point! She must feel uncomfortable! _Before he pulled his arm away though, she turned towards him and buried her head into his chest. He could feel her hands grip at his coat. _Hm…perhaps I didn't do anything wrong. _He lightly wrapped his arms around her small, shaking form. _I wish there was something else I could do, but I don't know what. _

He just looked down at her as she sobbed in his arms. She cried for a good five minutes. _Ms. Sterling. Just how long have you been holding yourself back? She seems so broken. Her only family member is now gone. She isn't allowed to go back to work. She probably wouldn't be suffering so much if she could get distracted by her work. She must feel…so lost. And alone. Hm…I know those feelings all too well._

She finally stopped crying, and her body stopped trembling. She pulled away a little, wiping her eyes. "Mr. Edgeworth. I'm so sorry. Look at me, crying like a baby." Her eyes widened as she saw the dark stain on his coat. "Oh no. I've completely soiled your coat. I'm sorry."

"It's fine Ms. Sterling. I can always get it cleaned." He didn't even look down to see the damage. "Are you alright now?"

She nodded. "I…I think so. Thank you."

He bowed his head. "Don't thank me." He stood up. "I really need to get going, though. I have to get back to the office."

Serena followed him to the apartment door.

"Are you sure you'll be alright, Ms. Sterling?"

"Yes. I mean, it'll take me a while to recover from everything, but I should be okay." She had a rather solemn look on her face as she looked down at the floor.

"Good." Before he continued down the hall, he stopped himself and turned around. "Oh, Ms. Sterling. Just a little word of advice." She gave him her attention. He crossed his arms. "Someone once told me that there is one thing that suites everyone." He felt the corner of his lips go up. "A smile."

Her eyes widened, and next thing he knew, he saw a hint of a smile on her face.

_Yes. A smile definitely does suite everyone. _

"I hope to see your smile return soon, Ms. Sterling." With that, he walked away.

**Epilogue is coming up next! Feel free to leave me a review or private message me! Thanks!**


	33. Epilogue

**Here's the final chapter/epilogue!**

******__****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ace Attorney series characters!**

Epilogue

"Everything's all over now, Thomas. I can finally breathe easier." Serena took a sip of her tea and looked outside over her balcony. The wind rustled her hair a little. She sighed. "I know…it's going to take me more time to fully recover from everything that's happened. I probably won't ever be able to completely get over your passing." But she smiled softly. "But I also know that the time will come when I will be fine and can move on." She glanced down at the sympathy card which was signed by Phoenix, Iris, Athena, Apollo, and Trucy. In it was written, "We're very sorry for your loss, but please know that you've got friends who are here for you!" She reread it again. "And now I know that I have friends who I can count on to be there for me. What more could I possibly ask for?"

* * *

"Agent Lang. Long time, no see. What brings you here?"

"I'm here to visit my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend? Ah, I know who you mean. I'm afraid she's busy at the moment. She's in court right now, convicting the murderer of one Mr. Sharpe. However, I will let her know you came by."

"Still as serious as ever, huh?"

"Hmph."

"You need to learn to loosen up, Mr. Prosecutor…oh, I'm sorry, I mean Mr. Chief Prosecutor."

"Loosening up isn't going to stop criminals from committing crimes, will it?"

Lang shrugged. "Just sayin', you know."

"Is that all, Agent Lang? I am quite busy."

"That's all. I'll see you around."

Edgeworth sighed. He stood up and made himself a cup of tea. _It seems like everyone's telling me to 'loosen up.' Do I always seem so serious all the time? Hm…I guess loosening up isn't such a bad idea. Perhaps I should try it. _He took a sip of tea and sighed.

Just then, his phone rang. "This is Edgeworth."

"Mr. Edgeworth! There's been another crime!"

"Alright Detective Gumshoe. Come over to my office and tell me about it, alright?" Edgeworth hung up and sighed again. "Oh well. I guess 'loosening up' is just going to have to wait, won't it?"

* * *

"Ah! This is the life!"

"Oh yeah!"

"You can say that again!"

Ema, Trucy, and Athena were sitting on beach chairs in the sunlight. It was a gorgeous day for a beach outing. The three of them had their eyes closed under their sunglasses, making them the perfect unsuspecting victims.

Trucy lowered her sunglasses and looked over to her left, where Phoenix and Iris were sitting on a beach blanket, talking to each other. "I am so glad Daddy and Iris got together! And I didn't even have to intervene too much!"

Athena nodded her head. "Yeah. Boss seems so much happier now that Iris is around."

The girls went silent, enjoying the nice weather and the shining sun.

"Alright Herr Forehead. Don't say a word, or you'll ruin it."

"Got it."

Apollo and Klavier quietly approached the girls. "Okay, on three. One, two…"

"THREE!" Apollo yelled.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The three girls found themselves getting attacked with water guns.

Apollo and Klavier laughed hard at the now soaking wet girls.

"Apollo!" Trucy yelled, hands on her hips.

"You glimmerous fop!" Ema looked around for something to throw at the prosecutor. She smiled when she spotted her snackoos.

"Uh oh."

"Uh oh is right, pretty boy. You better start running!"

Apollo, Athena and Trucy watched as Ema bolted towards Klavier, throwing snackoos at him. Unfortunately for Ema though, the seagulls began chasing her.

"What's the big idea, Apollo?!" Athena scolded, squeezing out the water from her hair.

"Hey! It was Prosecutor Gavin's idea, not mine!"

"Hmph. Of course it was his idea," another voice spoke.

"Simon." Athena turned to look at him.

"Who else would come up with something so childish?"

_At least he doesn't approve. That's good. _

"Although," he began, a smirk forming on his face. "It was quite amusing watching Miss Baby Chick get ambushed."

"You take that name back, you panda bear!" Athena yelled. She had chased him into the water, at which point they started splashing each other.

"You know," Apollo said to Trucy. "I kind of find it hard to believe that those two are actually dating."

"I think they're cute in their own way," Trucy added. "Speaking of cute, Apollo…" She turned his attention to Juniper, who was sitting under a blanket and umbrella next to Phoenix and Iris. "You should go sit with your girlfriend!"

Apollo turned a little red. "Yeah, you're right. I should."

Trucy watched him go over and sit down next to Juniper. She sighed happily. "It's so nice to see everyone here." She then pouted. "If only Mr. Edgeworth would've joined us. He really needs to get out and relax more."

Towards the evening when the sun was beginning to set, Apollo, Klavier and Simon were sitting near water silently while the others were more towards the land.

"You know, Herr Blackquill, you should've joined Herr Forehead and me in our attack."

"Hmph. I'm too old for such juvenile activities. But I must admit, it did seem like fun."

"Maybe next time," Apollo said.

The next thing Apollo knew, something round and squishy hit his head. It exploded and released water, soaking his once dry hair. "Ah!" He shrieked, jumping up on his feet.

The two prosecutors got up, and they formed a triangle, their backs facing each other. Looking around for where the projectile came from, they saw nothing.

"What was that?" Klavier asked.

"Don't know," Apollo added, looking down at the broken pieces of rubber on the sand.

Simon looked around, feeling slightly apprehensive. Something about the beach had been calm. Menacingly calm.

They didn't notice the next water balloon that came towards Klavier until it hit him in the face. "Achtung! Where did that come from?!" He yelled.

Soon, a whole bunch of water balloons came at them. While Klavier and Apollo dodged them, Simon tried to grab at them. He had caught two, but then the next one burst upon contact with his hands, provoking laughter from the other two guys. But he had the last laugh when when they both got hit with not one, but two water balloons each.

"Let's go find out who's doing this!" Apollo exclaimed. _Although, I have a pretty good hunch as to who it might be. _The three guys ran in to the direction from which the balloons were launched.

They finally saw four girls with a launcher and colorful round objects beside them.

"You?!" Simon roared at Athena. "It was you?!"

She, along with Trucy, Ema and Juniper, took one look at the boys and burst into laughter.

"No! You two have corrupted Juniper!" Apollo complained.

Juniper blushed. "I'm sorry, Apollo. Athena begged me to try it, and...he he...it was actually pretty fun!"

Ema and Athena were laughing like crazy. "Ha ha ha! You should've seen your faces!" Ema said.

Athena agreed. "That was priceless!"

Trucy high-fived the other girls. "We've sought our revenge, ladies! Well done!"

Apollo looked over to the side and saw Phoenix and Iris, who were still talking to each other. "Mr. Wright!" He yelled, getting the defense attorney's attention. "Look what they did to us!"

Phoenix just shrugged. "Consider it payback!"

Klavier picked up one of the balloons. "Quite impressive ladies. Water balloons. Not a bad idea."

Apollo and Simon smiled evilly, knowing what Klavier had in mind. They each picked up a few water balloons.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Athena asked.

"You're not going to attack for innocent girls, are you?" Trucy added.

Apollo smirked. "Innocent. You girls are all guilty!"

The four girls backed away from the approaching guys, when Athena spoke up. "Well girls. There's only one thing we can do...or rather, say, in this situation."

"What is...oh. Oh! Yeah! Let's do it! On three girls!" Trucy started counting. "One, two, three."

OBJECTION! (**AN: Thanks to Darkbeast42 for reminding me that I forgot this part!**)

**So it's finally over. I would say that I'm sad…but that would mean I was going to stop here. That's right! I have a sequel planned out! I'll probably post the summary for it soon, but yeah. Thank you so much to all of my wonderful readers and reviewers! I hope you guys liked this Ace Attorney story! You guys are super amazing. If you'd like, feel free to leave me a review and/or a private message. Thanks! **


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